JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst employees were recognized for their exemplary service in support of small business programs during a ceremony on the Lakehurst side of base July 6.

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Assistant Commander for Contracts James Mead and NAVAIR Contracts Department Head Capt. Luis Trevino presented employees with the U.S. Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

The NMCSA recognizes employees who perform exceptional service or contributions resulting in high value for the U.S. Navy.

Awardees were recognized for their support to the NAWCAD Lakehurst Contracts Division, which over the past five years has obligated approximately $6.9 billion, with approximately 43 percent of total dollars eligible for small businesses being awarded.

Chief of the NAWCAD Lakehurst Contracts Division Tom Hill said it was the employees’ hard work and commitment to the success of small business processes and programs that led to the honors.

“We wanted to recognize the efforts that those employees expended in creating a process that is kind of the gold standard for DOD,” said Hill.

The NAWCAD Lakehurst Small Business Innovation Research/ Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) team supports NAVAIR's small business program, while also servicing the Office of Naval Research, Naval Supply Systems Command and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. It plans to execute contracting for the Naval Sea Systems Command in Fiscal Year 2018, said Hill.

SBIR/STTR team members awarded include Dina Marinelli, team lead for the NAVAIR SBIR/STTR Team, Judith Dastis, team lead for the Non-NAVAIR SBIR/STTR Team, and Elaine Lovering, senior contracts specialist for the NAVAIR SBIR/STTR Team.

John Murtagh, former Supervisory Contracts Branch head for the Common Support Equipment and Consolidated Automated Support Systems branch, was awarded for his small business market research and providing valuable statistics that drive how the team awards small business contracts today, said Hill.

The SBIR/STTR team was recognized nationally for its work as the recipient of the 2016 Department of Defense Vanguard Award for Small Business Innovation Research in April 2017. It will also be recognized for this honor in a local ceremony at Patuxent River, Maryland July 25.