USA Hits the $2 Billion Mark in Small Business Contracts

USA Honored for Support of Minority-Owned Businesses United Space Alliance was awarded Corporation of the Year for the Space Coast by the Florida Minority Supplier Development Council (FMSDC) at the group’s Annual Conference and Trade Fair held in August in Orlando, Florida. USA was recognized for its contributions to the furtherance of minority-owned businesses in the areas of procurement dollars awarded, outreach activities, buyer and supplier recognition programs, supplier diversity programs, training and education of members, and management commitment and leadership. Mike Jones, Vice President of Material and Logistics, accepted the award on behalf of USA. In 2005, USA awarded more than $65 million to small, disadvantaged businesses. In addition, USA has a robust outreach program for finding new small business suppliers and provides a bimonthly training program for members of the FMSDC on developing leadership and business management skills. The FMSDC is a regional affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), whose charter is to provide a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses. USA is a member of both the FMSDC and the Houston Minority Business Council.

Since its inception in 1995, USA has awarded subcontracts in excess of $2 billion to small businesses throughout the country, an impressive milestone in its commitment to maintaining a diverse supplier base.

The $2 billion figure represents more than 27 percent of the company’s total subcontracted dollars.

“We at USA believe maintaining a diverse supplier base goes hand-in-hand with having the best suppliers,” said CEO Mike McCulley. “Inherent in this belief is our company commitment to optimize the participation of all small businesses in the procurement process. We consider this commitment critical to our connection with the communities we serve, and we believe our small business suppliers are significant to our performance and the performance of the nation’s human space flight team.”

The $2 billion total breaks down as follows: $630 million to small, disadvantaged businesses; $690 million to women-owned small businesses; $71 million to veteran-owned businesses and more than $22 million to service, disabled veteran-owned businesses.

“These teammates share our commitment to achieve ever-increasing levels of customer satisfaction through quality, service, timeliness and cost. This is a landmark achievement for our company and for our small business program,” said USA Vice President Logistics and Material Mike Jones.

In addition to awarding subcontracts, USA supports small businesses in a variety of other ways. USA is an active supporter at both the national and local levels of the National Minority Supplier Development Council and its regional councils and the Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance. Participation in these business development organizations includes membership on the executive advisory board, board of directors and serving as president of a local chapter.

USA is also involved in several of NASA’s small-business programs, including co-chairing the Johnson Space Center Roundtable, serving on the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center Prime Contractor Supplier Council, the NASA/Kennedy Space Center Prime Contractor Council, and supporting the NASA Central Industry Assistance Office.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) consistently rates USA’s small-business program as outstanding, and USA helps sponsor the SBA’s regional outreach programs.

It is USA’s goal to continue to help suppliers to succeed and to promote these accomplishments to other corporations that might also utilize these successful vendors. “Through these efforts, USA has earned a reputation for promoting diversity that extends well beyond the workforce and is recognized by customers, employees, and associates,” Jones said.

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