8-koi Earns ISO 9001 Certification for Medical Management Services

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On July 4th, 8-koi received ISO 9001:2015 Certification for its Technical Services Division. The scope for the Quality Management System (QMS) encompasses the “provision of medical management services by 8-koi at the Melbourne, Florida location” to include processes for Human Resource and Personnel Credentialing. 8-koi began preparations to certify in the fall of 2022. The initial certificate is valid for a period of three years until July 3, 2026. 

“Our Technical Services Division has been steadily growing to serve our federal customers over the years and this was the logical next step to ensure that our operations were consistent and competitive for our next stage of growth,” said 8-koi COO Dean Rosenquist. “The investment in ISO for a small business is significant, and we anticipate seeing returns in the way of more satisfied customers, management, and employees which results in greater cost-savings, overall.” 

The woman-owned small business currently supports healthcare-related programs at Patrick Space Force Base, Fort Detrick, and Walter Reed National Medical Center among others. Twenty employees are currently working within the division across the United States. 8-koi capabilities and technical support includes medical simulation and training, medical administration, professional and ancillary medical staffing, and medical records, coding, and credentialing support.  

“Our people are the key to our success on these contracts with our government customers,” says 8-koi Founder and President Inga Young. “With a predictable and tested workflow at Headquarters to make hiring and credentialing more streamlined and efficient, we can scale recruiting and onboarding to meet surge demands when we win larger and more complex contracts.” 

By following the ISO 9001 Standard, businesses of all sizes can formalize key processes and develop a Quality Manual that outlines procedures to continually improve their processes within the QMS. According to ASQ.org, “ISO 9001 is based on the plan-do-check-act methodology and provides a process-oriented approach to documenting and reviewing the structure, responsibilities, and procedures required to achieve effective quality management in an organization.” 

Last summer, 8-koi’s Technical Services Division expanded their presence with eight new employees at Walter Reed with a competitively bid and won Defense Health Agency (DHA) Emergency Dispatch Services contract. Since winning a contract with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to provide counseling and case management support to refugees in 2020, 8-koi has onboarded and managed hundreds of direct care personnel. Under contract with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) since 2018, 8-koi’s Quality Assurance Specialist has supported over 400 clinics across the US and overseas to train and retrain clinic staff in proper procedure of Fitness Test administration.  

In addition to provisioning services for administrative, training, and direct care activities at Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs), the 8-koi Technical Services Division also offers medical supplies like Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and products for sterile environments and cleanroom facilities. The 8-koi Construction Division, along with 8-koi subsidiary Cape Design Engineering, provides MIL-STD services for design-build and renovation of hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and advanced training centers such as Naval Air Station Jacksonville and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.  

The ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System requires both internal and third-party audits to maintain certification. There are over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries certified to ISO 9001, according to ISO.org. 

Contact us to schedule a meeting and learn more about our Healthcare Division.

8-koi President in Washington DC for SAME Industry Day JUNE 29-30

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The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Industry Day will be held June 29-30, 2023 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C.

8-koi Founder & President Inga Young will attend the market research event to share engineering and construction capabilities with potential customers and teammates for upcoming contracts with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.

See 8-koi Contract Vehicles

8-koi and subsidiary CDE are corporate members of SAME Space Coast Post.

To set a meeting, send an email or contact us.

8-koi in San Antonio for SAME Conference MAY 2-4

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CDE Mechanical Engineer Kritika Kanphade attended the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Joint Engineer Training Conference (JETC) in San Antonio, TX May 2-4, 2023 to take part in “over 80 hours of education and training sessions, keynote speaker, myriad networking activities, a robust exhibit hall, and countless opportunities to connect and meet with decision-makers throughout industry and government.”

Kritika Kanphade (third from right) stands with members of SAME Space Coast Post

8-koi and subsidiary CDE have been long-time corporate members of the SAME Space Coast Post. According to the JETC website, “For three days, attendees took in more than 70 education sessions, participated in influential Warfighter Seminars and Facility Asset Management Forum, networked with 200+ exhibitors, viewed lived geospatial demonstrations, heard from senior agency leaders and keynote speaker Sarah Thomas, and celebrated achievements such as the Academy of Fellows Investiture, Leader Development Program graduation, Society Ball & Awards Gala, to include the Golden Eagle Award, and swearing-in of the 104th SAME National President, Charlie Perham, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.).”

2023 SAME JETC Exhibit Hall in San Antonio, TX

Kritika says,”It was a whirlwind week of activity between learning about big things in the AEC industry and talking to people interested in SAME’s Leader Development Community of Interest (COI). I got to hear Sarah Thomas, the first female official in NFL today. She is such a motivation!”

Sarah Thomas the NFL’s first female official as SAME JETC Keynote Speaker
Kritika Kanphade (right) with colleagues at SAME JETC

Kritika adds, “The week at JETC was equally energizing and exhausting, but either way I can’t wait to go back to San Antonio for the Small Business Conference (SBC) in November 2023. I will also be attending the SAME’s Post Leaders Workshop (PLW) in Fort Lauderdale in August, where I will reconnect with many other SAME Post leaders from the JETC trip.”

Kritika Kanphade (second from right) attends the SAME JETC Society Ball & Gala with colleagues

We love seeing our Florida-based team making connections on the road. Thank you for being there, Kritika! View more about 8-koi Construction and CDE Design Engineering Capabilities and contact us to set a meeting.

8-koi Welcomes Krista Dupell, RN, BSN, MBA as Program Manager, Technical Services Division

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Krista Dupell is a Registered Nurse with over two decades of experience in direct care and healthcare administration. She joins 8-koi as Program Manager to lead the growth of the Technical Services Division.

Prior to joining 8-koi, Krista worked as a nurse directly at the bedside in a variety of specialties before accepting nonclinical roles. In her position as a daytime lead medical review nurse working for an occupational health company, Krista’s department provided medical determinations for contractors deploying overseas to austere environments to over 15 locations in support of Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of State (DoS) contracts. She was later promoted to be the program manager of the department and grew it from four contracts to eleven contracts and expanded lines of business with existing clients. In developing skills and discovering a new interest in the business side of healthcare, Krista was compelled to return to school in pursuit of her MBA in Healthcare Management at Saint Leo University.

“She’s a rare find with a unique education,” says COO Dean Rosenquist. “We’re confident in Krista’s industry expertise and initiative to help take our Technical Services division to the next level.”

Krista’s personal life closely aligns with her profession as she is married to an Orlando-based first responder and two of her four children are pursuing active-duty military careers.

“Not only do I love the business side of this division,” said Krista, “but I love the opportunity to work here because of the amazing culture. Every employee has a voice and is empowered to be involved in company growth.”

Please help us welcome Krista to the Team and be sure to connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more about her work.

8-koi Honored with HIRE Vets Gold Medallion for Second Year in a Row

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On November 9th, 8-koi was officially recognized during a virtual ceremony as a Gold Medallion Awardee for the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans (HIRE Vets) Medallion Program by U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin J. Walsh. The HIRE Vets Medallion Award is earned by businesses that demonstrate unparalleled commitment to attracting, hiring and retaining veterans.

In 2022, 8-koi is one of a total of 835 organizations across the United States that received awards. Implemented by the requirements of the HIRE Vets Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-31), the HIRE Vets Medallion Award is the only federal award recognizing exceptional achievement in veteran employment. By meeting the criteria required for a Gold Medallion Award, 8-koi “demonstrated both patriotism and recognition of the value veterans bring to the workplace.”

Continue reading “8-koi Honored with HIRE Vets Gold Medallion for Second Year in a Row” →

8-koi Receives Patent for Military Approved Bollard System

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The US Patent Office issued Patent No. US 11,319,681 B2 to 8-koi on May 3, 2022 for a bollard system invented by 8-koi VP of Construction Otto Herrera. The patent application for the physical security device used to restrict vehicular movement was filed August 6, 2020 in response to a DoD customer’s request for a solution to their force protection.

“Their fancy hydraulic traffic retractable bollard system was inoperable because of built up debris and muck within the mechanism. I couldn’t fix the existing problem, nor could the manufacturer, but I thought a simpler retractable system could serve the same purpose,” says Otto. “I proposed a conceptional system with a cardboard model to test the basic functionality for a customer demonstration and they greenlighted it.”

Otto went to work to complete the design and fabricate a full-sized prototype to install and test. The total cost for the first unit is a tremendous cost savings when compared to the dysfunctional barrier system that was installed, not inclusive of the time lost and the associated labor required to maintain the original system.

8-koi’s patented OttoBollardTM deployed at secure facility

The simple OttoBollardTM design is made to be permanently installed, stowed in place, easily maintained, and operated manually to replace more complicated and expensive hydraulic traffic control systems. It is designed to give property owners the choice of how and when they change protection levels and or traffic patterns. As an example of maintainability, 8-koi’s OttoBollardTM was easily repaired and made ready for service with minimal downtime the same day following impact.

Applications include property egress paths, facility egress paths, civic meeting places, and roads and other similar locations where bollard systems are not to be permanently installed and there is a need to modify or change potential traffic patterns. The OttoBollardTM eliminates off site storage of temporary bollards or other similar systems when not in use. The OttoBollardTM reduces recurring costs of transport, manpower, rental, and deployment.

8-koi’s patented OttoBollardTM in the secured position

“Our patented bollard is a simple system that is quick to deploy, operates without electricity or hydraulics, requires no storage, and works in all weather conditions,” says 8-koi President Inga Young. “We are looking forward to targeting sales to municipalities for secure event areas like sports arenas, stadiums, and parks to help with crowd control and hopefully avoid tragic public safety disasters such as the recent parade crashing events we see on the news.”

A woman-owned company, 8-koi currently supports design engineering and construction contracts with public and private organizations to include Eastern Florida State College, Daytona State College, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and Army Corps of Engineers among others. See more construction capabilities.

DOWNLOAD OttoBollardTM sales flyer PDF.

CDE’s Kyle Findlater Earns P.E.

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Inspired by the hit television series “Prison Break,” CDE’s Kyle Findlater chose to pursue a career in structural engineering and successfully earned his Professional Engineering License from the State of Florida on July 1st, 2022. “After watching Michael Scofield apply structural engineering principles to break his brother out of the prison he designed, I knew that was the specialty I wanted to pursue,” Kyle muses.

Though being highly motivated, but not having a falsely imprisoned brother to free, Kyle admits his journey to be a Professional Engineer was not an easy road to walk. “I struggled to get back the motivation to study,” Kyle says after his first P.E. exam was cancelled in April 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had spent the six months prior studying intensely and working practice problems. It was very frustrating and deflating.”

As disappointing as it was, I immediately jumped back in and rescheduled my test…

His next opportunity to test came in October 2021 when he sat for the last paper-and-pencil version of the P.E. exam before they switched to a standard computer-based exam. “Several weeks later, I received a failing result. As disappointing as it was, I immediately jumped back in and rescheduled my test for April 2022.” This time he passed.

“I then had to fill out the P.E. licensure application by gathering my work history and professional engineering references to be validated by the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. A few weeks later after going before the FBPE committee, I was granted my P.E. License,” Kyle proudly explains of the process.

Kyle Findlater, P.E.

Kyle joined CDE in July 2021 and now serves as the lead designer and project manager for the structural engineering department. Prior to CDE, Kyle’s work experience included three years in residential structures with Apex Technology and three years in marine structures with JACOBS.

My biggest career highlight so far has definitely been achieving my Professional Engineering License…

“A few of my favorite projects have been the Chem Lab Chiller Plant Building, Area 57 West Building 50801 Crane Evaluation, and King Center Speaker Support Beam Upgrades,” he says, “but my biggest career highlight so far has definitely been achieving my Professional Engineering License.”

A first-generation American, Kyle was born in New York after his parents emigrated from Jamaica, but he’s called Florida home ever since his family moved to Palatka when he was young. Kyle went on to attend the University of Florida where he received his bachelor’s in civil engineering and met his wife, Nureka, who was a nursing student from Jamaica. They have a lively young daughter and enjoy family travel and trips to the beach.

When asked about his future, Kyle says he’s focused on honing his design skills so he can eventually mentor and teach other young engineers. “My advice for aspiring P.E.’s would be to find great mentors and take your P.E. exam as close to your schooling as possible because it will be harder to re-learn how to study and prepare for a test of this magnitude if you wait.”

As for Kyle’s mentors who helped him along the way, “I would like to thank Jesse Dayhoff, P.E. with Apex Technology, Gary Ledford, P.E. with JACOBS, Josh Smith, P.E. formally with CDE, and currently Rob Sullivan, P.E. and Lutfi Mized, P.E. with CDE for their mentorship.”

Please join us all at CDE and 8-koi in congratulating Kyle on his well-deserved accomplishment of becoming a licensed Professional Engineer. You can connect with Kyle on LinkedIn.