FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 12, 2006
FY06-45
ORAU, StaffMe.net Sign Mentoring Agreement
OAK RIDGE, Tenn.— Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and StaffMe.net have recently entered into a mentor-protégé agreement through which ORAU will assist StaffMe.net in becoming a more viable subcontractor for government agencies and contractors. StaffMe.net is a woman-owned staff augmentation and outsourcing company certified both as a “small disadvantaged business” and as an 8(a) firm [a subset of small disadvantaged firms] by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Pictured: StaffMe.net President and Owner Terri Gingrich (center left) and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) President Ron Townsend (center right) sign a mentoring agreement. They are joined by (from left to right) StaffMe.net Business Development Manager Ken Buchanan, StaffMe.net Operations Manager Jay Gingrich, ORAU Assistant Procurement Manager Judy Stanley, ORAU Procurement Manager John Bennett, StaffMe.net Director of Communications Ray Johnson, ORAU Contract Specialists Sharon Jacobs and Donna Thompson. High-resolution version of photo
In signing the agreement on Sept. 11 at ORAU, both ORAU President Ron Townsend and StaffMe.net President and Owner Terri Gingrich expressed confidence that the arrangement will bring significant benefits to both organizations.
“We are extremely excited about this wonderful opportunity to expand our partnership with ORAU,” Gingrich said. “StaffMe.net is committed to delivering quality products and services that are pleasing and functional, and that provide a return on our clients' investment. We believe this opportunity underscores our products and services diversification and demonstrates the Company's capability to support the requirements of our clients.”
Established in 1997 by Gingrich, StaffMe.net and its network of divisions provide comprehensive staff augmentation, recruiting and human resource services in the technical, medical, architectural, engineering and other professional fields. Based in Knoxville, Tenn., StaffMe.net has provided services to ORAU's contracts with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health since 2003. The mentor-protégé arrangement with ORAU will allow the company to enhance its business, technical and other capabilities, particularly in the area of contracting with DOE.
Administered by ORAU’s Assistant Procurement Manager Judy Stanley and Small Business Program Manager Ernest Whitaker, the mentor-protégé agreement extends an already-beneficial relationship with StaffMe.net. “Procurement has worked closely with this small company and has helped to nurture their business during the last three years,” said ORAU’s Procurement Manager John Bennett.
“StaffMe.net exemplifies the type of business ethics, characteristics and professionalism we can be proud of under a mentor-protégé agreement with ORAU,” noted ORAU President Ron Townsend.
Mentor-protégé agreements provide one method through which DOE helps to ensure that women-owned and other small businesses can compete in the government-contracting arena. The ORAU-StaffMe.net agreement runs through June 2008 and can be extended for up to two additional one-year periods.
ORAU is a university consortium leveraging the scientific strength of 96 major research institutions to advance science and education by partnering with national laboratories, government agencies and private industry. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education for DOE.