January 16, 2003

Clear Lake Area Economic Development Foundation

Aerospace giants will meet with small business leaders in the Clear Lake area today to identify opportunities within the small business community for the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter project.  

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay will address the participants at a reception at South Shore Harbour Resort in League City  4:00 p.m.

Last year, representatives of the Clear Lake Area Economic Development Foundation Small Business Government Contractor Council  (SBGCC) traveled to Dallas/Fort Worth to meet with representatives from Lockheed Martin to discuss the large government contract for the development and deployment of the Joint Strike Fighter project.  As a result of that meeting, representatives from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE traveled to Clear Lake to identify opportunities within the membership of the SBGCC.

The Joint Strike Fighter project is tasked to develop stealthy, multi-role strike jet airplanes for the various military branches of the United States and United Kingdom, and potentially the militaries of more than ten other countries over the next 30 years, with an estimated value exceeding $200 billion. 

“The Lockheed Martin contract, designed to defend the United States, and our international coalition partners, presents many challenges and opportunities,” said Clear Lake Area Economic Development Foundation President Jim Reinhartsen.  “Other major contractors will have opportunities to assist Lockheed Martin with meeting those objectives and small businesses will have new opportunities beyond their usual customer base.”

Tonight CLAEDF will honor Delay with the presentation of his second Quasar Award, in a banquet at South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center.

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