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Marshall leads Mentor-Protégé Agreement between CH2M Hill, KS Ware & Associates

Leaders from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center prime contractor CH2M Hill Inc. and KS Ware & Associates LLC, a small, woman-owned business based in Nashville, Tennessee, signed a NASA Mentor-Protégé Agreement on Aug. 9. This partnership will foster invaluable connections between the two companies and will further the capabilities of KS Ware & Associates and NASA.

The signing ceremony was held virtually and included multiple managers from Marshall in Huntsville, Alabama, which has led the Mentor-Protégé Program since 2019.

Participants of the virtual Mentor Protégé Agreement signing ceremony online screenshot.
Participants of the virtual Mentor Protégé Agreement signing ceremony between CH2M Hill Inc. and KS Ware u0026amp; Associates LLC on Aug. 9 included, clockwise from top left, Max Ledesma, contracting officer at Marshall; Julie Oliphant, president of KS Ware u0026amp; Associates; Robert Champion, director of the Office of Center Operations at Marshall; Lauren Terry, small business liaison officer and program manager at CH2M Hill Inc.; J.P. Martin, vice president and NASA account manager of CH2M; and Farley Davis, manager of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Health at Marshall.
u003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eCredits: NASAu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003e

“Anytime we get the opportunity to bring small businesses along, get them vetted, and brought up to speed so that they can have a better opportunity to compete for and win government contracts, it’s a good day for NASA,” said Robert Champion, director of the Office of Center Operations at Marshall.

The Mentor-Protégé Agreement between CH2M Hill and KS Ware & Associates lasts for three years and focuses on architect-engineer services for environmental and occupational health at Marshall. In 2017, KS Ware & Associates was awarded a contract to perform environmental services, such as groundwater monitoring and contamination remediation at Marshall and NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. CH2M Hill will counsel KS Ware & Associates in technical and business development by hosting workshops, facilitating introductions to additional potential clients, assessing the company’s implementation of CH2M processes, and other actions to aid KS Ware & Associates in delivering excellent services for NASA and other customers.

NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs strives to integrate small businesses into the base of contractors and subcontractors that support NASA missions. The Mentor-Protégé Program, which started in 2008, facilitates agreements between some of NASA’s largest contractors and eligible small business and academic institutions. Mentor and small businesses that enter a Mentor-Protégé Program must meet certain requirements, which are outlined on the Office of Small Business Programs website.

All parties involved in a Mentor-Protégé Agreement benefit – for example, NASA fosters a more diverse workforce, mentors develop a base of qualified subcontractors, and protégés receive valuable tools to enhance their business.

“Beyond us being a woman-owned small business, I believe this is a great way to encourage other females to pursue careers in the STEM industry,” said Julie Oliphant, president of KS Ware & Associates.

Since 2008, there have been approximately 49 agreements across NASA’s 10 field centers nationwide, 19 of which Marshall led.

Learn more about the program and NASA’s Office of Small Business Program here:

https://osbp.nasa.gov/mentor

https://osbp.nasa.gov