The Small Business Program Manager of the Year award for 2015 was presented to Robert P. Morris Jr., Program Manager, Small Business and Deputy Chief, Program and Project Management Division, June 14, during the Fort Worth District Engineer Day Annual Awards Ceremony for his exceptional service.
Morris was “surprised” at the recognition rarely awarded to non-Small Business Program Office members and said, “This is a team effort. While I meet with the company and small businesses, it’s up to the team in PPMD to actually get the job done.”
Morris attends monthly meetings providing immediate feedback to small business representatives on opportunities where their capabilities may be used and what steps to take to further promote their capabilities within the Fort Worth District. He also serves as a “matchmaker” for small businesses by sharing information gathered about each small business with Program and Project Managers in the appropriate offices within the District. His efforts are used by project managers during end of year acquisitions when they qualify firms to which to sole source work.
In 2015, the District hosted three small business conferences where Morris briefed attendees on the District’s mission areas and types of capabilities and resources needed for future contract opportunities. During the pre-award stage, Morris assists with preparatory meetings for line item review. This intense quarterly review has been beneficial in building a culture of finding opportunities for small businesses. This front-load process resulted in the District achieving top district recognition in USACE for five out of six small business categories in 2015.
“I like being able to get involved in a variety of projects and it’s fulfilling to see the end product between small businesses and contractors,” said Morris.
Lt. Col. Clay Morgan, deputy commander, of the Fort Worth District said he was proud to have Morris as a part of the team. “He played a significant role in championing the use of Small Business in the Fort Worth District. He set and reinforced expectations within the District regarding the importance of developing the Small Business Community within the State of Texas and nationally to support the mission execution of the District.”