WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) yesterday announced that it distributed more than $395 million in small business obligations for federal prime contracts in fiscal year 2010. NNSA surpassed its departmental small business goal by 39 percent in fiscal year 2010.
To highlight the success of its small business program, NNSA yesterday launched the second annual “NNSA Small Business Week.” As part of the NNSA Small Business Week, NNSA is featuring a different small business of the day each day this week.
Today’s profile highlights United Drilling, Inc., a small minority-owned business based in Roswell, N.M. United Drilling drills oil, gas, water, geothermal, and environmental wells throughout the southwestern U.S. The small business has been doing business with NNSA and the Department of Energy since 1998, when it was awarded its first subcontract for drilling services at the Nevada National Security Site. Since then, United Drilling was awarded a second subcontract for such services in 2002 on a sole source basis. It was awarded its current subcontract in 2009 on competitive basis for an additional five years. The total dollar value of these three contracts is in the range of $35 to $40 million.
United Drilling’s current subcontract is with National Security Technologies, LLC and previously they were with Bechtel Nevada. Most of the work performed entails the drilling of deep investigation wells for the UGTA (Underground Test Area) project in and around the Nevada Test Site.
“We have very much enjoyed our relationship with Bechtel Nevada, National Security Technologies, and NNSA, with respect to both the challenging work involved and the thoroughly competent and knowledgeable personnel involved in this program,” said Jesus Salazar, president of United Drilling. “Our relationship with NNSA and the contractors on the UGTA program has been very beneficial for United Drilling. The experience we have gained and the opportunity to perform well on this highly demanding program has opened doors to other work opportunities, and the revenues we have earned in connection with this work has allowed us to grow our company and our business steadily during the past 12 years.”
United Drilling was nominated by Bechtel Nevada in 2000 for the Small Business Administration’s Subcontractor of the Year award and received the SBA Administrator’s Award for Excellence in connection with work at the NNSS. In 2002, United Drilling received the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency’s Regional Minority Service Firm of the Year award for the Dallas Region and in that same year United Drilling was selected by Bechtel Nevada as its protégé in DOE’s Mentor/Protégé program.
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Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science in the nation’s national security enterprise. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability, and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; reduces the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.
