Expand subcontracting opportunities for small businesses.

Organization construct and accountability:

• Northrop Grumman’s Global Supplier Diversity Program (GSDP) organization plays a key role in connecting small businesses interested in working with Northrop Grumman to the company’s procurement and technical organizations.
• We emphasize the importance of meeting our small business performance goals, which is key to our corporate values. Throughout Northrop Grumman, we enhance small business performance by aligning individual and organizational performance goals that align with our supplier goals.

Engagement:

• Engaged various external stakeholder groups that support and serve Northrop Grumman’s values and interests in recruiting, developing and recognizing a diverse workforce and contracting with diverse suppliers.
• Partnered with external organizations in support of the development and growth of a diverse supply base.
• Aligned our employee resource groups meetings with annual partner conferences and supplier diversity outreach events to identify diverse suppliers that have the potential to be included in our supply chain. These events provided access for employees to assist in developing inclusive strategies and programs that enhance our supply chain.

Local Focus:

• Used local small businesses within communities surrounding our operating facilities when feasible.

Small Business Support:

• Hosted joint technology interchange workshops, creating synergy among small business owners, military representatives and Northrop Grumman employees.
• Supported the Department of Defense Mentor-Protégé Program.
• Supported the Department of Defense Industry Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and commercialization readiness program.

As a company, Northrop Grumman has exceeded the 23 percent US government small business statutory goal for more than 10 consecutive years.

Northrop Grumman has won 23 Department of Defense Nunn-Perry awards, the most awards of any prime contractor. Nunn-Perry awards are the highest honor prime contractors can receive for participation in the Mentor-Protégé Program. The award honors retired US Senator Sam Nunn, who sponsored legislation to enact the Mentor-Protégé Program in 1991 and former Secretary of Defense William Perry.

Linda Fortney