Tri-Cities Local Business Association: Collaboration benefits TCLBA members and community interests

Members of the Tri-Cities Local Business Association are local businesses and labor organizations that support the Department of Energy’s Hanford cleanup mission. They are essential to the Hanford workforce, providing high-value scientific, engineering, technical and skilled labor services.

Many members have leveraged their Hanford experience to grow and diversify and now serve clients nationally and internationally. With expanded capabilities and market reach, they have magnified their contributions to our vibrant local economy with good-paying jobs.

TCLBA advocates for local business opportunities to support site cleanup. In 2019, we initiated discussions with DOE and its prime contractors to address small business subcontracting and meaningful Hanford work for local businesses. Interacting at this strategic level has given us a “seat at the table,” allowing the business community to better anticipate and address site needs.

The collaboration outcomes have been notable. DOE has gained a broader context for evaluating its small business goals and building sustainable local businesses. Meaningful work is now more strongly reflected in prime contracts awarded in 2020, allowing small businesses to develop by contributing more directly to cleanup accomplishments.

In another 2019 initiative, TCLBA partnered with TRIDEC, the Energy Communities Alliance and Hanford Communities to back DOE’s proposed change to how it interprets the definition of high-level waste (HLW). The change would allow treatment and disposal of waste as either HLW or non-HLW based on its actual radiological characteristics rather than its origin. This science-based approach offers practical options for treating and disposing of non-HLW, which at Hanford could make cleanup safer and sooner, while saving $40 billion in cleanup costs.

TCLBA conducted a public outreach campaign for the initiative. We sent letters and guest opinions to local and Northwest newspapers. TCLBA member Pixel Soft Films produced a video for the campaign, https://vimeo.com/371766493. We encouraged local, state and federal officials to support our nuclear waste position and posted information on our website and Facebook.

In 2020, TCLBA will continue to advocate for issues important to our members and our community. Our monthly meetings will give members access to DOE, prime contractor and community decision makers. Discussions will provide insights into Hanford and community programs and priorities.

We will work to influence the effectiveness of Hanford procurement programs and local business participation. We will provide forums for members to network, partner, and pursue work that drives business success and community development.

Our community strategy will be to increase our involvement and impact on collaborative efforts already underway. The Tri-Cities is a dynamic region for renewable and other carbon-free energy production. We support local efforts to develop clean energy production and storage technologies and to advance energy conservation and grid modernization.

We are participants in TRIDEC’s Mid-Columbia Energy Initiative, and we back Washington state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act. Along with wind, solar and hydropower, the emerging Small Modular Reactor is a promising nuclear technology for clean baseload energy. Our community's technical resources and workforce are ideal for SMR development, and TCLBA is eager to help members offer their expertise for design, fabrication, construction, and operation of SMRs.

We are members of the Regional Chamber of Commerce’s myTRI2030 community visioning initiative, supporting community development with emphasis on education, energy and prosperity. We are involved with the Mid-Columbia STEM Network and the advancement of career-connected learning.

The Tri-Cities’ prosperous economy has grown from the region’s strengths in energy, agriculture and environmental cleanup. However, community-wide collaboration has been another contributing force for growth. Through our strong relationships with businesses, government and local leaders, TCLBA is proud to participate in progress-focused activities that benefit local businesses and advance the future of our community.

This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Tri-Cities Local Business Association: Collaboration benefits TCLBA members and community interests."