Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) hosted its annual Small Business Opportunity Day on June 11 at the Augusta Convention Center, drawing more than 700 attendees including small businesses and diverse suppliers; 35 Savannah River Site (SRS) stakeholders; four mentor-protégé companies; and nine small business resource partners. The event spotlighted upcoming procurement opportunities, strategic partnerships and capacity-building resources available to current and potential business partners.

Since 2018, SRS has played an important role in revitalizing the nation’s pit production capability, key to National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) nuclear stockpile sustainment strategy. As SRNS expands its national defense missions while continuing to advance enduring Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) responsibilities, building a reliable, innovative, and diverse supplier ecosystem is critical to meeting the scale and urgency of mission needs.

“DOE and NNSA are driving federal contractors to innovate faster, accelerate schedules, and reduce costs. That’s the type of partnership we’re looking for today,” said Jay Johnson, SRNS Deputy Senior Vice President of Business Services and Chief Contracting Officer. “SRNS is embracing a new delivery framework, shifting toward commercial standards and emphasizing cost-effective, timely project delivery.”

Attendees traveled from states as far as California and Washington to learn how their capabilities might support SRNS in areas such as infrastructure, IT, machining, warehousing, classified storage, engineering and administrative services. The event included one-on-one supplier matchmaking sessions, an exhibit hall featuring more than 50 booths, and a supplier partnering discussion panel.

“This is not just another supplier conference,” said Jana Chavous, SRNS Supply Chain Strategist and one of three event organizers. “This is an opportunity for businesses to meet directly with the programs and projects that procure these goods and services, as well as with major partners like Fluor and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This kind of meaningful engagement strengthens our supply chain, deepens collaboration, and supports SRNS’ mission to deliver safe, efficient operations for DOE and NNSA.”

For the first time, SRNS also introduced the Small Business Program Awards, recognizing high-performing suppliers who exemplified urgency, excellence and partnership in FY25.

• Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: Eastern Power Technologies
• Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year: Omega Technical Services
• Small Disadvantaged Business of the Year: BVB Tech
• Small Business of the Year: Stratagon

Keynote speaker Freddie Grimm, Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and Integration, noted SRNS’ strategic shift toward commercial standards and the opportunity for small businesses to partner with major contractors. “There is a national need right in our backyard, and NNSA is pushing a clear sense of urgency that we’ve fully embraced,” Grimm said. “By identifying new scopes, securing the right funding, and connecting contractors with local businesses, we can exceed project delivery together.”

Panelist Bob Conner, Vice President and Director of Technical Services for CRC Technologies, discussed how the SRNS DOE Mentor Protégé Program has strengthened CRC’s position as a woman‑owned small business supporting DOE prime contractors. “As a supplier, we must be clear about the value we bring and what gaps we fill for SRNS. For us, that meant getting closer to the source to offer both cost and process efficiencies,” he said.

Attendee Jeff Gaston, Founder and CEO of Blue Space Security, echoed the value of direct engagement. “We’ve worked with federal agencies before, but I attended this event to better understand the Site’s needs and how we can help meet them,” he said. “Matchmaking was especially valuable, being able to speak face-to-face with department leads.”

For more information or to express interest in partnering with SRNS, visit the SRNS Supplier Portal or contact supplier-outreach@srs.gov.