NEW ORLEANS – Since the New Orleans District Army Corps of Engineers began work on the Hurricane Storm and Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS) four and a half years ago, the Corps has awarded nearly $2.3 billion in small business prime construction HSDRRS contracts.
“The Corps has a history of supporting small business,” said Col. Edward Fleming, New Orleans District Commander. “We are determined not merely to meet, but to exceed, the dollar value of small business contracts awarded in the future.”
Small business contracts go to Small, Small-Disadvantaged, Women-Owned, HUB Zone, Veteran-Owned, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned businesses. $5 billion, nearly 65 percent of all HSDRRS contract dollars, have been awarded to Louisiana-based companies, and 28 percent of HSDDRS contracts dollars have been awarded to small businesses.
“We are extremely proud to announce that we’ve reached this $2 billion mark,” said Karen Durham-Aguilera, Director of Task Force Hope. “And it is very gratifying to have so many of those contracts go to Louisiana-based companies – the people and businesses who were most affected by the 2005 hurricanes.”
This commitment to working with small businesses has recently been both locally and nationally recognized. Two years in a row the New Orleans District received the Small Business Administration’s Crystal Award for leading Louisiana federal agencies in the number of dollars awarded to small businesses, and in 2008, the District earned two national awards recognizing the use of women-owned small businesses and the pursuit of small businesses.
Release no. 10-026