Alison K Harder

Alison K. Harder serves as a key procurement professional within the IT Contracting Division - PL83 of the Defense Information Systems Agency, where she manages mission-critical acquisitions to sustain and modernize secure, interoperable defense information systems. Her responsibilities include executing complex IT service contracts that support cybersecurity enhancements, legacy infrastructure modernization, and scalable software platform deployments for DoD operations. She specializes in soliciting and awarding contracts for mission-critical software solutions, systems integration, and technical support services that ensure resilient command, control, and communications capabilities across the enterprise. Harder engages with a diverse pool of contractors, primarily those specializing in custom software development, systems design, and IT services for defense environments. While no single vendor dominates her portfolio, she consistently partners with firms possessing DoD cybersecurity certifications, such as CMMC compliance, and those with proven experience in secure cloud environments, DevSecOps pipelines, and legacy system modernization. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical interoperability, and adherence to NIST and RMF frameworks. Her procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 83.3% of awards issued without set-asides, yet she maintains a meaningful commitment to small business participation, allocating 16.7% of contracts as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This demonstrates a balanced approach—prioritizing mission readiness while actively enabling small business access to high-value defense IT opportunities. Harder’s primary NAICS focus areas include 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) and 513210 (Software Publishers), reflecting her emphasis on custom software development, enterprise application integration, and platform-as-a-service solutions. She frequently procures secure software lifecycle services, cyber-enabled tools, and mission-critical applications that support DoD’s digital transformation objectives, demonstrating deep expertise in defense IT acquisition domains.