VICKSBURG, Miss. -- An office with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District was honored at a national awards ceremony Friday for outstanding contributions.
The USACE Vicksburg District’s Small Business Office was recognized for achieving top metrics agency-wide at the annual USACE Small Business Awards. The USACE Office of Small Business Programs recognized the district as part of the $100 Million Club, a distinction for districts that award $100 million worth of small business contracts in a fiscal year.
“I’m extremely proud of my team and all the work they’ve accomplished to get us to these milestones,” said USACE Vicksburg District Deputy for Small Business Demetric Erwin. “They’ve demonstrated a deep commitment to our partners and established a proven record of success.”
The Vicksburg District was also awarded second place for the top percentage of overall contract awards to small businesses for FY 2020. In total, the district awarded 84.31% of contracts to small businesses.
“The Small Business Office continues to serve as an asset in achieving the district’s mission by helping us maintain valuable relationships with small businesses across the region,” said USACE Vicksburg District Commander Col. Robert Hilliard. “These partnerships are the first step for a myriad of successful projects, and we look forward to maintaining this level of excellence.”
The Small Business Office provides federal acquisition opportunities to a diverse range of small businesses and seeks to maximize practical possibilities for businesses owned by veterans, veterans with service-related disabilities, women and disadvantaged individuals, among others. Contract work examples include casting articulated concrete mats for use on the district’s Mat Sinking Unit during revetment season and dredging the Red River to allow commercial navigation.
The USACE Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana that holds seven major river basins and incorporates approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The district is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.
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Release no. 20-095