WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján welcomed a new agreement for procurement opportunities for northern New Mexico businesses contracting with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).
Under LANL’s new management and operating (M&O) contract between Triad National Security, LLC and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, that went into effect on November 1, 2018, there continues to be a pricing preference for contracting with small businesses in the northern New Mexico region and a new and additional pricing preference has been established for the members of the Triad Pueblo business alliance (San lldefonso, Ohkay Owingeh, Acoma). These pricing preferences represent a significant new opportunity for our local small businesses and pueblos.
“New Mexico’s entrepreneurs are a bright spot in our state’s economy. We lead the country in minority- and women-owned businesses, and small businesses employ over half of New Mexico workers," said Udall. "This new agreement — the result of hard work from local entrepreneurs, cities, counties, and Pueblos — is a welcome commitment that Los Alamos National Lab will continue to be an active and essential partner in Northern New Mexico, and an affirmation that local businesses can and will provide world-class goods and services. I will continue to work to bolster the mutually beneficial and critical working relationship that exists between our labs and surrounding communities.”
“We all know that small businesses are engines of job creation and are at the heart of our state's economy. By sourcing locally, Los Alamos National Laboratory will benefit from northern New Mexico companies' strong track record of providing quality services while encouraging new economic growth and job opportunities in the region,” said Heinrich. “I will continue doing everything I can to support closer collaboration between our labs, universities, and private businesses so they can thrive together.”
"Small businesses in northern New Mexico are a driving force of our economy and are critical to the success of Los Alamos National Laboratory," said Luján. “A strong partnership between small businesses and the laboratory is key to the growth of our local workforce and our state economy. Local contracting is just one of the ways we can strengthen the relationship between the laboratory and New Mexico’s business community.”
Udall, Heinrich, and Luján have long advocated for the new contractor to maximize procurement opportunities for local businesses, and given the regional economic dominance of the laboratory, strongly believe the new contractor should be an engaged and a constructive partner to the communities in northern New Mexico, the eight northern pueblos, and the citizens of the State of New Mexico. The new agreement is the result of community engagement and responds to the request made by Udall, Heinrich, and Luján in July 2016, urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to strongly consider maximizing contract opportunities for New Mexico local businesses.
LANL's existing Regional Purchasing Program has contributed to a strong ecosystem of small businesses that contribute to the success of the lab. Last year, LANL procured approximately 56 percent of its subcontracted goods and services in New Mexico of which $269 million went to small businesses in the state. Subcontracting with local companies improves efficiency, provides site-tailored, value-added goods and services while also building regional capacity that helps recruit new employees and their families.
