Adams wins $18.6 million Job Corps contract

Adams and Associates of Reno last week won a federal contract worth $18.6 million to continue running the Grafton Job Corps Center near Worcester, Mass.

President Roy Adams says the contract is for the first two years of a five-year deal to provide continued operations at the center. Adams and Associates provides operations of job corps centers across the United States.

Due to the nature of the business, the recession completely overlooked the company, Adams says.

"We have picked up in the last year and a half with renewals probably 10 contracts," he says. "Those are all competitive procurements, whether we are the incumbent or not. We have a good five years of business booked.

"The age group that we serve, and with a large number of them at an educational disadvantage, this is a very tough time for them. The need (for job training) is greater than it ever has been."

Adams and Associates employs nearly 2,000 people, about 100 in the Reno area, and recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. The company has grown about 15 percent per year for last 10 years, Adams says.

Large contract wins such as at the Grafton Job Corps Center provide job stability to the 200 or 300 employees working at various job corps centers, Adams says.

"One of keys to the success of our company is regular growth. As we grow our employee have additional career opportunities, and that is one of the things that makes our company attractive."

Adams and Associates last week also won a contract worth $262,348 with the Department of Labor to provide an electric vehicle for student training, heavy equipment operator simulators, and other career technical training services to the Atterbury Job Corps Center in Edinburg, Ind.