Army Corps of Engineers Awards First Contract to Veteran-Owned Business

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^

[SandRat]

Star Enterprize personnel examine ductile pipes before moving them from the GRD Loyalty Residence Office in Baghdad to Victory Base Compound, recently. GRD awarded its first veteran-owned contract to Star Enterprize in April. Photo courtesy of Star Enterprize.

BAGHDAD — Over the past five years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Gulf Region Division (GRD) has embarked on a dedicated campaign that has enabled many “firsts” for the Iraqi people. Across the region, GRD personnel have worked tirelessly on projects that in many cases allow Iraqis to enjoy the benefits of running water and electricity for the first time. The GRD reached another milestone recently by awarding its first contract to a veteran-owned business.

Star Enterprize, LLC, based out of Atlanta, Ga., was recently awarded a $140,000 contract to move office equipment from the Loyalty Residence Office in Baghdad to a new location at Victory Base Compound.

Daryl Scott, chief executive officer and founder of Star Enterprize, said his company is pleased to have the opportunity to contract with the GRD. Scott, who retired from the Army in 2008 after serving for more than 25 years, said Star Enterprize conducts business in the Middle East because he wanted to keep his ties to the military and continue to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“I learned so much from my training and career in the military,” said Scott. “I was here during the first Gulf War, and I wanted to come back and apply that expertise to continue to benefit our Armed Forces.”

The contract award was managed by the GRD Contracting Office.  Among its many responsibilities, the Contracting Office is responsible for ensuring that small businesses have equal opportunities to compete for contracts and jobs within the reconstruction process, ensuring overall economic growth and development.

Yolanda Brown, a contracting officer at GRD, was primarily responsible for managing the GRD contract for the movement of the Loyalty Resident Office’s equipment.

Brown has worked for the Corps in Iraq for nearly five years, and said she is proud to have a role in awarding a contract that is so significant.

“Each contract that I work on is a learning experience, and I am glad that the Corps was able to link up with a veteran in continual support of rebuilding Iraq,” said Brown.

The award of the contract has double benefits, said Brown. Not only will the contract employ a small business, but the movement of the Loyalty Residence Office’s equipment will also directly employ 40 Iraqis who work for Star Enterprize as subcontractors.

As Iraq strives to build a secure, stable and self-governing nation, GRD has awarded numerous contracts to assist in reconstruction efforts. Since 2004, nearly 75 percent of GRD contracts have been awarded to small, Iraqi-owned businesses, and many GRD supplies have been purchased through local companies. An additional $183 million in projects, in coordination with the Joint Contracting Command for Iraq and Afghanistan, have been contracted to Iraqi women-owned businesses.

[SandRat]

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[mom4melody]

I could have swore all Federal Contracting offices had to use the same rules - the FAR.

I award to veteran owned as often as I can.