Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $7 million contract, Sept. 22 to Ratcliff Construction Inc., a small business out of Orange Park, Florida, for repairs to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, roofs and latrines for the Camp America Barracks at Joint Task Force at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"Getting this project awarded will greatly improve the living conditions of our junior military personnel who stay in Camp America," said Capt. Alan Redmon, Joint Task Force Guantanamo engineer. "This project will have a very positive impact on their lives."

The work to be performed provides for repairs to the HVAC systems, roof and latrines. The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, engineering, materials, equipment, tools, parts, supplies and transportation to perform the work.

Work will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is expected to be completed by March 2017.

Small business play a vital role in the American economy - employing half of our country's workforce, creating nearly two out of every three new American jobs, and often being the source of the next great American innovation. NAVFAC Southeast strives to meet its goals building on its success by providing contract opportunities to small businesses.

"Small businesses continues to be our first option when fulfilling our requirements," said NAVFAC Southeast Small Business Deputy Nelson Smith. "NAVFAC Southeast continues to seek maximum practicable opportunities for small business in all of our procurements."

Each year NAVFAC establishes target goals for Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and Women-Owned Small Business categories. Smith explained that the maximum practicable utilization of small business concerns is a matter of national interest with both social and economic benefits.

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