Northrop Grumman / CSULB Mentor-Protégé Teams Garner Nunn-Perry Awards

3/17/2005 - ORLANDO -- The MAE department of CSULB was part of the Northrop Grumman team that captured one of the eight Nunn-Perry awards presented at the annual Department of Defense mentor-protégé conference here yesterday.

The awards recognize efforts by DoD prime contractors (mentors) and their protégé small, disadvantaged businesses for teaming to advance the protégé company as a competitive partner in the defense contracting business.

"This achievement is a great reflection on both the small businesses, which are the engines driving the American economy, and the larger prime contractors, who make an investment to grow the small business community," said Joseph G. Diamond, Director of the Air Force Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Office. "It's a winning situation for the Air Force and the nation: it strengthens our defense industrial base and helps develop the small businesses that contribute so much to the sustainment of Air Force warfighting capabilities."

The mentor-protégé program seeks to encourage prime contractors (mentors) to develop the technical and business capabilities of small disadvantaged businesses. Awards are determined by the successes of the mentor-protégé team in achieving cost efficiencies, enhancing the protégé's technical capabilities, and increasing new business opportunities for prime contracts and subcontracts.

The award, which is named in recognition of former Senator Sam Nunn and former Secretary of Defense William Perry, was first awarded in 1995.

For more information, call Martie Cenkci, Air Force Outreach Program Office, at (210) 536-1317.