Cherokee Woman Receives Sub-Contract

By Christin Forney

NORMAN, Okla. – CND, L.L.C. and subcontractor, Atmospheric Technology Services Company, L.L.C., collectively referred to as the “Cherokee Team,” have been awarded a contract to support Argonne National Laboratory’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility – Southern Great Plains (ACRF-SGP) site and systems operations, and facilities management of the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Cherokee Team commenced operations of the site on July 1, 2005. The contract is a five-year endeavor, which includes 30 full and part-time employees. Over 28-instrumented sites will be supported in the project, which covers central Oklahoma and Kansas. The central facility is located near Lamont, Okla. in Grant County.

Argonne National Laboratory is one of the largest U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research centers. Argonne's annual operating budget of about $475 million supports upwards of 200 research projects, ranging from studies of the atomic nucleus to global climate change research.

Cherokee Nation Distributors (CND), is a tribally owned 8(a), HUBZone, small disadvantaged business (SDB). CND is a diversified technical services company engaged in medical personnel services, personnel management, engineering, testing, defense and aerospace electrical distribution, electronic components distribution, and telecommunications services to federal and state government and commercial customers.

Atmospheric Technology Services Company (ATSC) offers a reliable, high-quality small business alternative to in-house resources for government operated weather stations, instrumented sites, research support, consulting, technical and business management of government contracts. ATSC is a small, woman-owned HUBZONE business located in Norman, Okla.

Owner, Vicki Rose established the company in July 2003 as a minority-woman owned business. She is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Her husband and managing technical director, Lynn Rose, said they have always wanted to work together in the same business.

Together they share over 40 years of contracting experience with federal contracts including: grants, competitive proposals and cooperative agreements in the fields of operational and research meteorology. In addition the couple had extensive performance in aerospace engineering services including aircraft modification for atmospheric sampling techniques.

Originally located in Tulsa, in January 2005, ATSC moved its offices to the Emerging Technology Entrepreneurial Center (eTec) in Norman to be near to the new developing business center of meteorology.

eTec is a 10,000 sq.ft. business accelerator sponsored and managed by the Norman Economic Development Coalition (NEDC). It is designed to help new technology companies grow more quickly by providing experts, materials and advisors to help owners “quick start” their businesses.

NEDC Executive Director Don Wood said, “Although ATSC is one of our newest incubator tenants they are experiencing the most rapid growth we have ever seen. We are thrilled with their success.”

About The Norman Economic Development Coalition

The Norman Economic Development Coalition is dedicated to expanding the economic base of the Norman community and enhance the earnings opportunities of area residents by retaining and expanding existing business and industry as well as attracting desirable new employers that are consistent with Norman’s high quality of life.

The Norman Economic Development Coalition is a joint venture of the University of Oklahoma, the City of Norman and the Norman business community through the Norman Chamber of Commerce.

For more information please contact Christin Forney, Director of Public Relations and Communications, at (405) 573-1900