Air Force, contracting officer earn DOD honors Published Nov. 9, 2004 By Peter Villarreal Air Force Outreach Program Office BROOKS CITY-BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Department of Defense officials honored the U.S. Air Force with two small business awards -- one for outstanding performance within an individual small business emphasis area, the other recognized the contracting professional of the year. The Air Force received recognition for its leadership in contracting with small disadvantaged businesses, and Carol Singleton, a contracting officer with the 311th Human Systems Wing here was selected as the contracting professional of the year.The Air Force won the award by exceeding its target within the small disadvantaged business program category. Contracts within this category were 5.7 percent of the entire budget, representing more than $2.7 billion in contracts awarded to small disadvantaged businesses.Ms. Singleton earned her award for supporting a large military housing construction program. Contracts awarded under this program included several classifications of small business companies. Her research and management found six qualified small businesses to do construction, three of which were women-owned firms. The contracts totaled $2.5 billion at several Air Force installations.