Althea

Althea Paul serves as a Contractor supporting the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Agricultural Research Facility Management and Procurement Division (ARS AFM APD), where she plays a critical role in facilitating the acquisition of advanced analytical instrumentation and specialized research services essential to agricultural science. Her responsibilities encompass managing the full lifecycle of procurement actions for high-precision laboratory equipment, maintenance contracts for mission-critical systems, and technical services that enable cutting-edge biological and environmental research. She specializes in complex acquisitions requiring technical specificity, regulatory compliance, and rigorous performance evaluation, ensuring that USDA ARS maintains its leadership in food security and sustainable farming innovation through reliable, state-of-the-art research infrastructure. Althea Paul maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of specialized vendors, including Germfree Laboratories, LLC for controlled-environment research facilities, Georgia Commercial and Residential Elevator, LLC for facility infrastructure support, and Millennium Enterprise Corp. for technical logistics and calibration services. Her procurement approach favors established contractors with demonstrated expertise in scientific equipment integration, compliance with biosafety standards, and long-term service reliability. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven track records in delivering mission-critical solutions under stringent federal research environment requirements. Her contracting patterns show a strong preference for open competition, with 92% of awards issued without set-aside designations, indicating a focus on technical capability over socioeconomic categorization. While only 8% of awards are designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, she actively engages qualified small businesses when their technical expertise aligns precisely with acquisition needs, balancing mission requirements with socioeconomic goals. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), reflecting deep expertise in acquiring mass spectrometers, chromatography systems, and high-throughput screening platforms. She also procures services under NAICS 541714 (Biotechnology R&D) and 541380 (Testing Laboratories), demonstrating specialized knowledge in biotechnological analysis, environmental testing, and custom software integration for laboratory data systems. Her work ensures that USDA ARS facilities remain equipped with the most advanced tools for agricultural innovation.