Aaron H. Ford

Aaron H. Ford serves as a Procuring Contracting Officer within the Contract Administration Services Division of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations. In this role, he is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of complex professional, scientific, and technical service acquisitions that directly support national security objectives. His portfolio emphasizes research and development in physical and engineering sciences, cybersecurity, and systems engineering, ensuring the acquisition of mission-critical capabilities that enhance operational readiness and infrastructure integrity. He exercises full contracting authority under FAR Part 15, conducting competitive solicitations, evaluating technical proposals, and negotiating contract terms to align with agency priorities and compliance requirements. Mr. Ford’s contractor relationships are primarily with firms possessing deep technical expertise in R&D and systems integration, including specialized engineering consultancies, advanced technology service providers, and non-traditional defense contractors. While no single vendor dominates his award portfolio, he consistently engages with organizations capable of delivering high-complexity, low-volume services requiring rigorous technical evaluation and performance-based contract management. His approach emphasizes merit-based selection, technical excellence, and contractual accountability over volume-driven sourcing. His set-aside preferences reflect a strong emphasis on full and open competition, with 96.2% of his acquisitions conducted without socioeconomic set-asides. However, he actively supports small business participation through the Total Small Business Set-Aside program under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a measured but intentional commitment to expanding opportunities for qualified small businesses in high-technical domains. Mr. Ford’s procurement focus is overwhelmingly centered on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—accounting for over 60% of his activity. He regularly procures advanced scientific services including computational modeling, systems engineering analysis, cybersecurity testing, and technical research supporting DHS mission systems. His expertise lies in acquiring non-recurring, high-value technical services that require specialized domain knowledge and rigorous performance metrics, ensuring alignment with federal R&D and national security innovation goals.