The Tepa Companies – a group of eight tribal-owned businesses – are being honored for their success in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program.
It’s all part of National Small Business Week, which runs from April 30 to May 6.
That’s when the SBA’s Kansas City District Office will officially crown Tepa the 8(a) Business Development Program Company of the Year for this region.
Tepa is owned by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, and three of its companies – Tehama LLC, Tukuh Technologies LLC and Medvolt LLC – landed more than $100 million in federal contracts during FY 2016 alone.
“I hear it a lot from their clients – the Tepa Companies are doing the job right the first time,” said Ken Surmeier, an SBA business opportunity specialist who assists Tepa. “They are successfully executing on every contract, being flexible and going the extra mile to make sure their clients are happy. That positive past performance is winning them more work.”
Medvolt, for example, was singled out for the way it responded to flooding at one of its worksites. The company’s managers waded into knee-deep waters, at night and on weekends, to direct drivers away from flooded areas near Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.
The Tepa Companies won certification through the SBA’s 8(a) program, which provides training, coaching and other resources to socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. 8(a) participants can qualify for sole-source contracts with the federal government. They can also form joint ventures and teams to compete for larger contracts.
Medvolt focuses on construction, demolition, site preparation and other services. Tukuh is an IT company, while Tehama specializes in environmental consulting.
“The SBA has been instrumental in the success of our businesses,” said Matt Metcalf, the Tepa Companies’ chief strategy officer. “We view our relationship with them as a partnership. They reviewed our business plans, helped us participate in the Mentor-Protégé program and assisted in securing contracts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, General Services Administration, Veterans Administration, the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron.”
