LANL and RDC Host Event to Boost Local Small Business Contracts

Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Regional Development Corporation convened business owners, regional partners, and Lab officials at the Santa Claran Event Center in Española on December 22 for a full day of practical guidance on supplying goods and services to the Laboratory. The event packaged procurement information, supplier registration assistance, and peer insights into a single forum designed to lower barriers for small firms seeking federal contract work.

Organizers presented the Laboratory's Small Business Program as the central pathway for companies to become registered suppliers and compete for contracts. A supplier panel allowed owners to describe how they built relationships with the Lab, and program organizers signed mentor protégé agreements while recognizing outstanding Laboratory suppliers. The event included representatives from chambers of commerce and small business resource organizations to connect attendees with technical assistance and certification support.

"The Laboratory partners with the RDC and a range of chambers of commerce, small business resource partners, and economic development organizations," said Patrick Duran from the Laboratory’s Community Partnerships Office. "We want to increase the capabilities of local companies and show them how to do business with the Lab. Through cross sector collaboration we can drive economic vitality in our region."

The outreach comes against a backdrop of significant local procurement. In 2024 the Laboratory spent $636 million on goods and services with New Mexico small businesses, a level of purchasing that serves as a major demand anchor for northern New Mexico suppliers. The Regional Development Corporation is a nonprofit funded in part by Laboratory operator Triad National Security under Triad's Community Commitment Plan, linking corporate community commitments to local economic development programming.

For Los Alamos County businesses the event signals continued access to a large, stable customer in the Lab, while equipping firms with the administrative know how to enroll and meet procurement requirements. Economically, expanding the pool of capable local suppliers can strengthen regional supply chains, retain more contract dollars locally, and reduce startup friction for businesses that want to pivot into federal contracting.

Longer term, consistent outreach and mentoring could help diversify the economic base around the Lab and translate procurement spending into more resilient local employment and firm growth. The immediate effect is practical. Firms that complete enrollment and leverage mentor protégé relationships increase their chances of winning work, while the region benefits from deeper private sector capability to serve one of its largest institutional purchasers.