CNS honors top small businesses for excellence

Three subcontractors recognized for contributions to Pantex mission success

AMARILLO, Texas – Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) recently presented three Small Business Achievement Awards at the West Texas A&M Contract Procurement Center’s Focused and Fearless: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Texas event. CNS recognized A-1 Communications, Inc., Stanek Tool, and Tri-State General Contracting for their commitment to excellence.

“Our ability to partner and collaborate with small business plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve mission success,” said CNS Deputy Enterprise Manager Michelle Reichert during her remarks as the event’s keynote speaker. “During fiscal year 2016, Pantex spent $99.3 million on goods and services from more than 625 small businesses, which is more than 80 percent of total procurements,” added Reichert.

A-1 Communications, a local small business providing leased pagers, has a 16-year working relationship with the Pantex Plant. The woman-owned company is an integral part of the success of Pantex operations and emergency communications.

Wisconsin-based machine shop Stanek Tool has provided special tooling to the Plant since 2007. Anne Marie Wilkerson, the Pantex procurement specialist who nominated the company for the award, said “they go the extra mile to ensure what they deliver to us is high-quality and on time.”

CNS also recognized Tri-State General Contracting, which has provided minor and major construction support to Pantex for 13 years. The company was one of the first subcontractors selected for CNS’ mentor-protégé program.

Pantex Small Business Program Manager Ryan Johnston said, “Small businesses are the backbone to our local and national economy. We are proud to recognize these three businesses for their contributions and commend them for modeling the CNS values—integrity, trust, respect, teamwork and excellence.”

Overall, CNS used small businesses for 67.7 percent of subcontracts at Pantex and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn., surpassing the company’s goal of 55 percent.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, under a single contract for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on the performance excellence and the imperatives of safety, security, zero defects and delivery as promised.

For more information on each site, visit www.pantex.com or www.y12.doe.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Follow Y-12 on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.