Aaron PETERSON

Aaron Peterson serves as a procurement lead within the Maryland State Department of Education – Administration, supporting the agency’s mission to enhance educational outcomes through strategic acquisitions of technical and support services. In this role, he manages the acquisition lifecycle for contracts that enable formative assessment systems, professional development platforms, and technology-enabled learning tools for educators and local education agencies. His work directly aligns with the agency’s strategic priorities of equity and capacity-building, ensuring that procurement decisions advance access to high-quality educational resources, particularly in underserved communities. He typically handles service-based acquisitions requiring technical evaluation, performance-based contracting, and compliance with state and federal education procurement regulations. While no specific contractor relationships are currently documented, Peterson’s procurement patterns indicate a focus on engaging vendors with specialized expertise in translation and interpretation services, management consulting, and educational technology support. His contracting approach emphasizes vendor qualifications over volume, prioritizing firms capable of delivering culturally responsive, linguistically accurate, and pedagogically aligned services. He maintains a collaborative relationship with vendors who demonstrate deep domain knowledge in K–12 education systems and can integrate solutions with existing state learning frameworks. Peterson’s contracting activity shows a 100% preference for non-set-aside procurements, indicating a focus on open competition rather than socioeconomic set-asides. This reflects a strategic decision to prioritize technical capability and service quality over socioeconomic classifications, while still ensuring compliance with all federal and state small business participation requirements. His approach supports broad vendor access without mandating specific set-aside categories. His primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 541930 (Translation and Interpretation Services), reflecting a strong need for multilingual support in diverse school communities, complemented by NAICS 541618 (Other Management Consulting Services) for curriculum and assessment strategy consulting, and NAICS 423450 for specialized educational technology hardware and supplies. His expertise lies in aligning procurement with pedagogical goals, ensuring acquired services directly support student achievement and educator effectiveness.