Livingston business awarded $2 million contract

A Livingston small business has been awarded a $2 million contract to provide computer supplies to a Nebraska-based Air Force base.

Wine Country Commerce, a Livingston business that supplies computer hardware and software to defense, aerospace and intelligence agencies, was awarded the contract last month. The business provides supplies to the U.S. Army, NASA and FBI, among others.

Owner Wikki Verma, 38, said he started the business in Petaluma three years ago – hence, the name referring to the Wine Country. But the Livingston High School graduate decided to bring his business back to the Central Valley two years ago.

“Livingston has always been home sweet home, it’s where I went to school and graduated,” Verma said. “As I continue to grow my business, we can add more jobs here in Livingston.”

Verma’s business currently employs five people, mostly family members, but he hopes to add staff to keep up with the workload. Receiving large contracts such as this one help to achieve that goal.

“This contract is a huge benefit because most of the jobs that are created in communities are from small businesses,” Verma said. “Small businesses are the backbone of America.”

Livingston City Manager Jose Ramirez said having a technology business in town represents notoriety for the community and shows others that they can succeed in business.

“Any of these high-tech jobs are welcome in Livingston,” Ramirez said. “It means we are more diversified in our community and it means we can grow that type of business here. We’re very proud of the accomplishment.”

Verma said his business has gotten many of these type of contracts before, which are federally funded, but this is the largest. The $2 million contract was first awarded to the Sunnyvale-based Computer Sciences Corporation, which then contracted with Verma’s company to supply the products.

The computer supplies will support Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Nebraska. Verma said his company will ship the products to Offutt, which can range from computer parts to equipment.

This story was originally published November 6, 2014 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Livingston business awarded $2 million contract."