By Anna Urman
The Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization’s (OSDBU) mission is to help small U.S. businesses obtain contracts with the Department of State in compliance with statutory requirements. An important part of that work is outreach to industry and recognition of successful small businesses who provide support to the Department. OSDBU hosted the 25th Annual Awards ceremony, Oct. 16. This highly visible event was attended by more than 150 companies and included a ceremony recognizing the Department’s Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year—a company who receives an award signed by the secretary of state; and the runners up who receive the deputy secretary’s Award for Excellence.
The Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award recognizes small business contractors who have displayed exemplary performance, customer service, management, and technical capabilities. Program offices nominate small business for the award and a three-person panel of Department officials selects the winner. Marking the 25th annual ceremony, the 2019 winner was Indigenous Technologies, LLC., which was nominated by IRM for outstanding project performance and management services provided to IRM that consistently exceeded contract performance standards and increased the effectiveness and efficiency of the Safety and Accountability for Everyone system for real time event reporting and life-saving accountability of post personnel. Senior Procurement Executive Cathy Read and OSDBU Director George Price presented the awards to winners.
In addition to the award ceremony, an educational program included an informative panel featuring Jessica Osterberger, support services chief in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and Kenneth Rogers, deputy chief information officer from Business Management and Planning in the Bureau of Information Resources Management. The event also provided an opportunity for small business attendees to meet with the Department’s Acquisition Management contracting personnel.
Anna Urman is a senior procurement analyst in the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
