The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District Contracting Office recognized multiple Outstanding Contracting and Small Business Partnerships during the Excellence Contracting Awards Program (ECAP) awards ceremony held yesterday at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. won the honor. The ceremony coincided with the American Society of Military Engineers’ Annual Small Business Conference.
The Honolulu District Contracting Office received the 2024 Team of the Year award for its support of the Maui wildfire debris removal mission. Mr. Tristin Suetsugu, Director of the Contracting Office, was selected as the Contracting Professional of the Year. The district also received the largest small business (SDB) award by value and the largest year-over-year increase in small business awards.
“It was an honor to support the Honolulu area and see our team receive an award for the Maui wildfire debris removal mission. This is the most difficult but rewarding mission I have ever undertaken. It’s a job,” said David Neal, Senior Procurement Analyst and Contracting Officer. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pacific Division. “Our teams worked together seamlessly and overcame obstacles to ensure critical contracts and task orders were awarded in a timely manner. It recognizes our collective dedication and outstanding teamwork.”
In fiscal year 2024, the Honolulu District Contracting Office completed more than 480 contract transactions and set a record with $1.5 billion in awards. Of that amount, $990 million supported Maui wildfire recovery, with more than half going to Hawaii-based small businesses and Native Hawaiian organizations.
The District has historically prioritized partnerships with Native Hawaiian organizations and local small businesses, recognizing their important role in the local economy. During the early stages of wildfire recovery, we entered into 8(a) contracts directly with local Hawaii businesses to provide cultural and historical support.
8(a) “sole source” contracts are competitive small business contracts that are entitled through Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. The goal of the federal government’s 8(a) business development program is to assist disadvantaged small businesses each year.
As a result, Cultural Hui, a team of community leaders, cultural practitioners, architects, and archaeologists, ensured that debris removal respected the heritage and history of Native Hawaiian communities.
Native Hawaiian cultural advisors worked with the debris team to protect cultural sites, making it the first USACE debris removal mission to incorporate cultural oversight. This milestone accelerates the personal property debris removal program and brings the mission several months ahead of its January 2025 deadline.
The ECAP award recognizes the outstanding performance of USACE contractors, particularly in advancing Campaign Plan Goal 4c3, “Improving policies, processes, and acquisition execution by certified professionals.”
Small business award
– Team of the Year: Honolulu District. Maui wildfire debris removal mission
-Contract Professional of the Year: Tristin Suetsugu, Honolulu District
-Overall Top Small Business (SDB) Award by Dollar: Honolulu District
– Districts/centers with the most small business awards in 2024 (districts/centers with annual obligations exceeding $400 million): Honolulu District
-FY24 Largest increase in small businesses from previous fiscal year in dollar terms: Honolulu area
– 24 Highest Overall Disadvantaged Small Business (SDB) Award in Dollars: Pacific Division
Photographed: November 20, 2024 Posted: November 20, 2024 15:18 Story ID: 485771 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA Number of web views: 80 Number of downloads: 0
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