Alissa Tabirian
NS&D Monitor
1/29/2016

The Sandia National Laboratories increased its year-over-year total spending in fiscal 2015 by about $21 million and its spending on New Mexico businesses by over $19 million, according to an economic impact report released last week.

The Department of Energy facility spent approximately $983 million in total on goods and services and more than $381 million on New Mexico businesses, the report said. Sandia spent over 52 percent of its contract dollars with small businesses – roughly $519 million; about 68 percent of that, $259 million, went to New Mexico businesses. Overall, Sandia’s total U.S. small business spending increased by approximately $64 million, according to the report.

Nationally, Sandia spent $97.7 million on woman-owned small businesses, $49.6 million on veteran-owned small businesses, and $29.4 million on businesses in impoverished areas. In fiscal 2015 Sandia also spent $1.7 billion on labor and non-contract-related payments, almost $78 million on procurement card purchases, and $69.5 million on gross receipts taxes to the state of New Mexico.

Sandia’s contracting opportunity outreach to local businesses includes public forums with suppliers and contract listings on its business opportunities website, the report announcement said. Sandia’s Small Business Utilization Department negotiates small business subcontracting goals with the National Nuclear Security Administration in accordance with the federal Small Business Act, it said. Sandia also participates in New Mexico’s Small Business Assistance program, through which in 2014 it provided $2.3 million in technical assistance to 197 small businesses in the state, the announcement said. Overall, Sandia has provided over $29 million in assistance through the program, it said.