Amber Gray

Amber Gray serves as a key procurement lead within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services, supporting the acquisition of critical medical countermeasures to address public health emergencies. She manages complex contracting actions focused on biodefense readiness, overseeing the development and procurement of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic platforms designed for rapid deployment during pandemics and bioterrorism events. Her work directly advances the agency’s mission to secure a resilient national medical supply chain through strategic, science-driven contracting. Gray maintains established relationships with specialized biotechnology and pharmaceutical contractors, including CIDARA THERAPEUTICS INC, AQUESTIVE THERAPEUTICS, INC., RAFA LABORATORIES LTD, and OSIVAX. These partnerships center on advanced drug delivery systems, novel vaccine platforms, and in-vitro diagnostic manufacturing capabilities. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical innovation and scalability, prioritizing vendors with proven expertise in GMP-compliant production and regulatory pathways under FDA oversight. She engages with a select group of high-capacity, mission-aligned contractors known for their agility in responding to urgent public health needs. Gray’s procurement portfolio reflects no set-aside preferences, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic focus on expediting access to the most technically capable solutions during time-sensitive public health threats, rather than socioeconomic targeting. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her award patterns, her contracting decisions remain fully compliant with federal acquisition regulations. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541714 (Biotechnology R&D), accounting for two-thirds of her portfolio, followed by life sciences R&D and in-vitro diagnostic manufacturing. She specializes in procuring preclinical and clinical-stage medical countermeasures, including antiviral therapeutics, mRNA-based platforms, and point-of-care diagnostics, demonstrating deep technical fluency in biopharmaceutical development cycles and regulatory compliance frameworks.