A note from 8-koi headquarters :: summer 2021
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It’s summertime and we are filling these long hot days with plenty of cool treats. You’ll notice this quarter’s newsletter is jam-packed with familiar faces, new developments, fresh news to share, our recent wins and many reasons to celebrate.
Those who know me know that I am passionate about 8-koi and my beloved family of Cotons de Tulear (pictured here courtesy of Brevard Business News). My pups take center stage in my life and most recently at the 145th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. I was honored to share the good news with local reporter Greg Pallone. Thank you to all who've been cheering for my "Artie" and his team along the way.
You've let us know that your furry companions are just as important to you and so long as our passions are intersecting, 8-koi is setting future goals to offer a pet-friendly workplace and enhance employee benefits to include pet insurance. I’m a strong believer in the positive impact dogs can have in the workplace and beyond. You can read more about our vision and story in this warm and fuzzy Brevard Business News feature. Stay tuned about a new office space that is friendly for our four-legged officemates and how your leadership team is working to accommodate your workspace desires, benefits, and preferences.
8-koi thrives because of our team members and I am so grateful for each of you and your dedication to living our values of passion, excellence, dependability, and thoughtfulness. Thank you for being one of the many reasons I am so grateful to represent 8-koi, an American-made company.
Wishing you all a summer full of smiles,
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Inga I. Young
Founder and President
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GETTING BACK TO THE 4 Ps:
People, Programs, Processes and Pipeline
It’s hard to believe we are almost halfway through 2021 already. Meanwhile, our Four Ps focus continues to gain traction. Here are some of 2021 highlights thus far:
People – Our people did some amazing work hiring over 200 employees in less than one month. We did all the hiring while emphasizing our Human Touch approach. The new employees continuously provided our team accolades on how well we’ve communicated with them while they were executing the mission.
Programs –
Construction
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8-koi is one of six competitively selected Woman Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs) to win the Army Corps of Engineers’ Horizontal Construction Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract.
- Our team continues to support multiple HVAC efforts at the Kennedy Space Center.
- We are supporting the General Construction IDIQ for Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) Facilities at NAS Jacksonville to convert spaces for the VA at the Navy Hospital.
Design Engineering
- Our team conducted structural inspections of stadium grandstands and bleachers at various facilities.
- We worked the Endeavor Elementary School technology infrastructure upgrades and the technology infrastructure, intercom and electrical upgrades at Hans Christian Andersen Elementary School.
Healthcare
- 8-koi supported commercial clients on projects to include COVID-19 testing for the Navajo Nation and SEC/ACC Athletics. We have also provided PPE and medical equipment to support these projects.
- We provided PPE to commercial pharmacies in the New York and New Jersey areas to support their operations.
- Our team provided PPE to support an Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Shelter site.
- We supported the Indian Health Center (IHC) Hospitals in California with PPE.
Technical Administration
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8-koi won a single award IDIQ contract to provide acquisition related contracting services to USMC Program Manager, Training Systems (PM TRASYS) Program Management Marines (PMM – 130).
- We won a single award IDIQ contract to provide Management and Acquisition Support (MAST) in support of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command’s Program Management Warfare (PMW) 240 Sea Warrior and PMW 250 E2S.
Pipeline – We have seven efforts currently pending award. Due to the impacts of COVID and federal contracting in 2020, we have an extra year of 8(a) eligibility – now valid until April 2023. All employees of 8-koi are business developers. When talking to a potential customer, be sure to tell them about us and how being an 8(a) small business we can sole source opportunities up to $4M. You can read more about 8(a) at SBA.gov.
Process - Our open enrollment for health insurance is less than 90 days away and the IRS recently announced the Health Savings Account limitations for 2022. With that, we wanted to create some awareness about High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts.
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Making payroll contributions up to the annual HSA limit, when participants are able to do so, can provide extra savings to pay for post-retirement health care.
According to Fidelity Investments, which manages our retirement accounts, a 65-year-old couple retiring this year can expect to spend $300,000 in health care and medical expenses throughout retirement - even when enrolled in Medicare. For single retirees, the 2021 estimate is $157,000 for women and $143,000 for men.
As always, your questions, suggestions and thoughtful emails are welcome.
Stay healthy and be safe,
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#DYK 8-koi has a new video to showcase our team and capabilities?
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New slicks are on Slideshare for easy viewing, sharing and downloading.
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Reminder From Your Human Resources |
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Please remember to notify your supervisor and email human resources when you're out sick, leave early, arrive late, or planning to take time off for vacation or an appointment. Include the dates you will be off, a brief explanation, and the approving supervisor's name. Doing so will help inter-department communication and payroll processing while you are away. This process is a requirement for all employees.
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Checkout Your Employee Portal |
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You have resources at your fingertips - Employee benefit handbook, helpful links and WAVES archive, all saved under Files.
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In the News and for the WIN |
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8-koi Wins Army Corps Three-Year Renovation, Repair Contract
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8-koi's Joe Ogershok Supports Customer USAMRDC in Lifesaving Combat Care at Fort Detrick
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8-koi Selected for Marine Corps Program Manager, Training Systems Contract
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8-koi’s CDE is Heading Up the Design of the Entire Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Systems Design for the New Two-story, 32,000 sq. ft. Student Union Facility.
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Welcome to the Team
David Rogers, senior contract specialist supporting the Merritt Island office and the USMC TRASYS program office in Orlando, FL.
Matt Rebholz, facility security officer supporting HQ in Merritt Island.
Jose Camacho, engineering intern supporting 8-koi and CDE in the HQ office in Merritt Island.
Kim Snook, receptionist and office administrator supporting the HQ office in Merritt Island.
Kyle Findlater, engineer supporting the 8-koi and CDE team in Merritt Island.
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CONGRATULATIONS to Amy Sigmon, 8-koi Senior Human Resources Office Manager for her 5-Year Work Anniversary! We've been lucky to have her on board with us since April 2016 and wouldn't be the thoughtful and dependable company we are today without her. Thank you, Amy, for all of your contributions to help us keep swimming in the right direction! |
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Happy Birthday
July
6 – Tiffany Eubank
18 – Claudia Martinez Alvidrez
22 – Alan Wright
21 - Sami Mized
24 – Erika Millard
26 – Pablo Molina
27 – Robin O’Connor
30 – Aaron Quintero
31 – Li Li
August
5 – Amy Vincent
9 – Kenneth Venzor Padilla
12 – Patricia Williams
20 – Javier Rodriguez
25 – Denise Aguilar
27 – Irving Lucero
30 – Bethany Davis
September
4 – Nanette Woltz
4 - Michael White
11 – Selene Estrada
15 – Les Daniels
29 – Mirna Sosa
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Happy Work Anniversary
July
2 years – Debbie Dash, Administration & Acquisition
20 YEARS!! - Li Li, Mechanical Engineer IV
August
4 years - Les Daniels, Business Development
2 years – Elizabeth Berry, VP Healthcare Division
September
2 years – Joshua Smith, Structural Engineer IV
7 years – Joseph Ogershok, Senior Medical Trainer
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Stay Cool During Your Summertime Celebrations! |
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#DYK Cigna’s Health Information Line is available 24/7/365? Just dial the number on the back of your Cigna ID card.
You can also chat on the myCigna app or at myCigna.com Monday-Friday 9am - 8pm EST excluding holidays.
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MEET THE TEAM ::
Robin O'Connor
Credentialing Specialist
Robin (pictured here with her oldest granddaughter) first joined CDE June 1st, 2020, as a receptionist/administrative assistant and then transferred to the 8-koi team with a new focus and endeavor of credentialing. Soon after, she was promoted to credentialing specialist.
Born in Texas and raised in Ohio, Robin remembers growing up in the country where she enjoyed spending most of her days outside horseback riding, rescuing wounded wild animals and sledding down the largest hill she could find in the winter. Her summers were spent visiting family in Galveston, Houston and Dallas and she eventually moved back to Texas for a short time where she graduated from high school. Longing for Ohio, she made the move back before her journey brought her to Florida.
Little by little her family began moving to Florida, and in 1987, she became the last one to make the long drive to the Sunshine State. After settling in, Robin attended classes to earn her Medical Unit Secretary Certificate from Brevard Community College and went to work at Wuesthoff Hospital in Rockledge on the Neurology floor as a Medical Unit Secretary. Robin wanted to further her knowledge in the medical field so she attended school and took the State Nursing Assistant Exam and was placed on the State Registry. In 2019, she became a Licensed Registered Chiropractic Assistant (RCA) with the State of Florida Department of Health. She has also provided Hospice care in both her personal and professional life.
Robin has one son, Joseph (who is deceased), and three daughters. Lisa provides childcare, Kaeleena graduated from Eastern Florida State College and Keanna attended Daytona State College. Robin is the proud grandmother of five grandchildren: two girls Jayden and Raegan, and three boys Gabriel, Nixon and Rhett.
Currently, Robin serves as the secretary for the American Legion Riders in Cape Canaveral. She loves riding horses, hiking, riding motorcycles, bowling, playing darts and pool, but most of all spending time with her family.
Robin feels blessed to be a part of 8-koi’s caring family and feels “empowered to reach and grow.” In return, “I hope to make a difference and be a part of helping this company grow,” she says.
Live and love as if there were no tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
-Gandhi-
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We congratulate Robin on her one-year 8-koi Anniversary as she celebrates with a snuggle from Trixie at the Merritt Island office.
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Would you like to be featured in WAVES?
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SCWID's Board Treasurer and 8-koi's Project Coordinator, Sheena Heitzman, arrived in the early morning hours at the May 7 SCWID golf tournament in support of raising funds for local STEM scholarship recipients. Joining her from 8-koi, the A-Team foursome (L to R): Michael White, Les Daniels, Trevor Baumann, and Sami Mized.
This year's sold-out 4th Annual Space Coast STEM Sandbagger Invitational Golf Tournament, at the Baytree National Golf Course, resulted in $8,500 in STEM scholarships being awarded to twelve deserving Space Coast women. The awards were presented at the STEM Scholarship and Innovator Awards Presentation on Wednesday, June 23, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Cocoa Beach.
The Women in Defense Space Coast Chapter (SCWID) is one of 8-koi's sponsored community organizations. 8-koi President, Inga Young, serves as vice president of the SCWID board and 8-koi was named the 2019 SCWID STEM Business Innovator of the Year. See more photos at 8-koi.com.
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Annual RMC Lunabotics Competition
May 23-27, 2022
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More STEM, please! NASA's Robotic Mining Competition featuring the arena built by 8-koi at Kennedy Space Center was postponed in 2021, but our calendars are marked for the 2022 event.
The annual RMC: Lunabotics competition is a full-on engineering exercise where students receive practical experience in the full engineering lifecycle process from concept development to system closeout.
Learn more about the NASA competition here and checkout the 360 view of the arena.
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8-koi is Across the US
Check out 8-koi team members, customers and locations across the country here and in the 8-koi Employee Portal.
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DO YOU LOVE 8-koi?
Our Google profile lets people know what we have to offer, and you all know best. Please take a minute to give us some stars and leave a short comment.
If there is something we can be doing better, please do not hesitate to reach out to our leadership team first.
THANK YOU for the LOVE!
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PASSION | EXCELLENCE | DEPENDABILITY | THOUGHTFULNESS |
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8-koi is expanding its team!
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Are you all caught up with
8-koi kurrents?
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Read past issues of WAVES
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SHARE YOUR NEWS
Let us know what you're doing in the community, share what you're reading, send your suggestions, stories, photos and we'll help to spread the word through our networks. We'd love to hear from you!
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Look out for more WAVES!! |
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8-koi, Inc. has complied with the passage of an interim rule to bridge the gap toward full transition to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. The Department of Defense is requiring all contractors with the clause at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204-7012 in their contracts to conduct a self-assessment of NIST SP 800-171 standards and enter their results into the Supplier Performance Risk System by November 30, 2020. Contractors who have not entered their results by that deadline will not be eligible for an award on a contract containing DFARS 252.204-7012.
Click here for more information.
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