"I am always pleased to hear of hard-working, well-deserving businesses in my district being rewarded with significant contracts," said Smith. "The Federal government should make a better effort to work with small businesses like T.A.P. Tool."

T.A.P. Tool's offices and 10,000 square feet of warehouse space are located on the Puyallup Indian Reservation at 11421 52nd East in Fife which is located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZONE).

T.A.P. Tool has begun supplying the Defense Supply Center in Philadelphia with fasteners for government end users under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). Under the newly awarded contract, T.A.P. Tools will provide full service distribution for commercial and government industrial hardware to the Intermediate Maintenance Facility at Naval Submarine Base, Bangor.

"This contract represents a real team effort and is significant for a number of reasons," said Captain Dennis V. Belt, commanding officer for FISC Puget Sound. "The reasons are:

• Uses eCommerce for ordering Direct Vendor Delivery's (DVD) eCatalog, utilizing receipt confirmation and billing. 
• DVD contract that uses Just-In-Time concepts. 
• Involves use of Acquisition Reform…award term fee with possible 15-year performance. 
• A regional contract that will support a regional customer base. 
• Contractor is a Fife-based, small, veteran owned business in a HUBZONE. 
• $44 million award."