During the Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Summit & Expo held last month in Norman, the Oklahoma AeronauticsCommission was presented with a Seeds of Greatness Award for its Center for Aerospace and Supplier Quality (CASQ) program. 
CASQ was created to increase the number of contracts from the Department of Defense and prime contractors that are awarded to Oklahoma aerospace businesses in Oklahoma as well as increase the supplier base for Oklahoma military installations.
Officials with Acorn Growth Companies, an Oklahoma City-based private equity firm focused exclusively on aerospace and defense, created the Seeds of Greatness Award in 2007. It recognizes Oklahoma aerospace and defense companies, teams, or individuals that have created cost savings or revenue enhancements through innovation from both the public and private sectors.
Aeronautics Director Victor Bird (shown at right) said they were honored to receive the prestigious award, which is the second time that the Commission has received it. The first time was several years ago in recognition of the Commission’s Oklahoma Aerospace Institute program. "Then, as now, the accomplishments that merited our receipt of this award would not have been possible without our invaluable partners, CareerTech’s Oklahoma Bid Assistance Network (OBAN), the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and Logistic Specialties," said Bird. "Having the privilege of serving Oklahoma aerospace businesses through CASQ is an honor enough, but it is nice to be recognized.”
OBAN Director Carter Merkle said CASQ’s success is not surprising, given the fact that so much effort has been put into building up the program over the last three years. “It’s such a terrific program for the state, one that really deserves the accolades it receives. We are very fortunate to have a group of dedicated individuals who have really held CASQ’s hand through its birth and infancy. It will be exciting to see what the future has in store for this unique program,” Merkle said.
Since its inception, CASQ has assisted more than 150 Oklahoma small to medium-sized aerospace businesses. CASQ has been critical to 27 Oklahoma companies being awarded 324 contracts totaling $33 million.
“I can state firsthand that without the help of CASQ, my company would not have been able to win a contract from Boeing, and competently compete for other contracts with the Department of Defense and prime contractors like Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin,” said Jim Rice, president of Pro-Fab, Inc., an Oklahoma City-based manufacturer of metal parts for aerospace and energy companies.
“CASQ is extremely important to small and medium-sized aerospace companies like mine. I cannot afford to hire procurement experts like larger aerospace companies. I would not be able to effectively compete for contracts from the Department of Defense (Tinker Air Force Base, and other bases in Oklahoma and around the country) and prime contractors without the assistance and help of the CASQ program,” he said.
Contracting opportunities have also increased at Tulsa’s M&M Manufacturing with the help of CASQ, said company president and CEO Kenneth Statton.
“At a recent event organized by the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission/CASQ, my company, along with many other small companies, was able to make a presentation on our capabilities to Tinker Air Force Base officials and other procurement officials representing approximately a dozen prime contractors. Through that event, we were able to secure a large contract with Boeing with the anticipation that we are going to sign contracts for multiple years,” Statton said.
CASQ’s focus on developing more aerospace suppliers in the state is accomplished through assisting clients with their business strategies, capture efforts, proposal activities and program execution, all at no cost to the company.
Allen Shipes, site manager for the Oklahoma City office of Logistic Specialties Inc., the company contracted by the Aeronautics Commission to provide technical assistance to CASQ, said he appreciates the recognition CASQ has received recently and is confident that the program will continue to grow and make a positive impact on Oklahoma’s aerospace industry.
“Creating this program was certainly the right thing to do for the state. There are so many opportunities at the federal level to capture more contracts, and I believe that CASQ is making positive inroads into that arena,” Shipes said.
