# DLA Energy interns gain insight into small business contracting

/ Published Dec. 14, 2023
FORT BELVOIR, Va., 
As part of their professional development, eight Pathways to Career Excellence Program interns took part in a two-day Defense Logistics Agency Energy Small Business class Nov. 28-29. 

Small businesses are at the core of the American economy and DLA Energy works to maximize opportunities for them to participate in our acquisitions. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, as of 2022, 33.2 million small businesses exist across the country, employing more than 61.5 million people.

“In Energy, we want to support small business and look for innovative ways to expand our opportunities with DLA Energy acquisitions support by either a direct contract or a subcontract,” said DLA Energy Head of the Contracting Activity Gabby Earhardt. “It’s important to keep that in mind and think of new ways to do business with them.”

She encouraged the interns to keep asking questions and making suggestions. “It’s like spaghetti, it may not stick the first time, but keep trying and asking,” she said.

DLA Energy helps small businesses succeed through several types of socio-economic small business programs: Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Women-Owned Small Business, Veteran-owned Small Business, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.

The DLA Director of Small Business Programs Dwight Deneal provided opening remarks and explained how 40% of DLA obligations go to small businesses and outlined how the DLA Office of Small Business Programs provides training, advice, guidance and strategies designed to strengthen their ability to compete effectively.

“The buying activity small business specialist is the primary point of contact for most small business-related questions,” said Associate Director of DLA Energy Office of Small Business Programs Gregory Thevenin. “In fiscal 2023, DLA Energy awarded $2.4 billion in contracts and exceeded our assigned small business goals.”

                Dwight Deneal, director of small business programs for the Defense Logistics Agency, poses with a plaque after the agency was named Agency of the Year for its success partnering with American small businesses Feb. 15, 2023, at the National Small Business Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.                            230215-D-D0441-001                            Dwight Deneal, director of small business programs for the Defense Logistics Agency, poses with a plaque after the agency was named Agency of the Year for its success partnering with American small businesses Feb. 15, 2023, at the National Small Business Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Courtesy photoVIRIN: 230215-D-D0441-001

In 2023, DLA was named Agency of the Year for supporting the nation's small businesses. The award was based on DLA's ability to meet fiscal year 2022 small business contracting goals set by the Defense Department and for its history helping small businesses understand and navigate federal contracting processes so they can compete more effectively for contracts.

“We promote small business participation in DLA Energy acquisitions by building relationships throughout our acquisition community. Bulk Petroleum Products Business Unit is our largest supporter, based on eligible dollars, while the largest percentage of DLA Energy small business awards come from the Direct Delivery Fuels Business Unit,” Thevenin said. “However, all of our commodity business units support the program.”

Outside of petroleum, DLA Energy Utility Services has small business contracts for electricity, water and wastewater at base installations working as contracting agent for the Military Services’ Utilities Privatization programs. 

“Small business training is a crucial part of the intern’s curriculum of contracting concepts for procurement of supplies and services,” said Deputy Director of DLA Energy Utility Services Laurie Carlson. “The knowledge gained from the small business training will be used in both pre-award and post-award, as applicable.”

Garrell Armstrong, a procurement analyst with the DLA Energy Office of Small Business Programs, said training like this sets the stage for the interns’ future growth as a contracting specialist.  

“The training provides the interns with a roadmap to execute and expand the agency’s small business program while empowering their decision-making growth,” he said. “It’s imperative they exhaust all avenues to increase small business participation as a prime and subcontractor in the federal arena.”  

The DLA Pathways to Career Excellence Program is a 2-year program designed to train entry-level personnel for subsequent advancement to the journey-level in professional, administrative, and technological career fields.