Energy Dept. Taps Another 8(a) Company CNSI, an 8(a) firm, has won a contract worth up to $81 million to provide enterprise-wide and site-specific information technology and support services for the Energy Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The award is the latest result of Energy’s push to improve its small-business procurement record, the worst of any cabinet-level department. CNSI, headquartered in Rockville, MD, will provide services in areas including program management, IT policy and planning, development and engineering, integration and testing, operations and computer security. “This is a significant win for CNSI as it pushes us into a whole new arena,” Promod Sharma, president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “We are proud to take the lead on such a large initiative.” CNSI was awarded the contract off its GSA schedule. It teamed with NCI Information Systems Inc. on the one-year contract, which includes options for up to five years. “The implementation of the enterprise architecture with the CNSI team as a valued partner will reduce redundancies and promote efficiencies and standardization across the entire NNSA complex,” said Marc Hollander, chief information officer for the Nuclear Security Administration. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham launched an initiative last year to expand contract opportunities with the department for small firms. As part of the initiative, the department is reviewing all contracts as they come up for renewal, to see if they can be unbundled, said Theresa Alvillar-Speake, director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. (SAA, 11/15/02) Energy’s $18 billion procurement budget has been the second largest in government after the Defense Department, but 80% of its dollars go to the large contractors that manage its national laboratories and other facilities. In fiscal 2001 only 2.9% of its contract dollars went to small firms. Small disadvantaged businesses, including 8(a) firms, received under 2%; women-owned firms barely 1%; and HUBZone and disabled-veteran-owned businesses even less. Prime contractors awarded $3 billion in subcontracts in 2001, but those do not count toward the department’s small business goals. Alvillar-Speake said the department is paying closer attention to subcontracting plans and subcontracting performance by the primes. In January Energy awarded a $409 million task order for IT support to RS Information Systems Inc. of McLean, VA, a graduating 8(a) firm. Contractors may register at the OSDBU website, http://e-center.doe.gov, to receive e-mail notification of all the department’s solicitations in their NAICS code.