Amber J. Cross

Amber J. Cross serves as Supervisory Contract Specialist at Federal Correctional Institution Leavenworth, overseeing the acquisition of mission-critical food and subsistence services for the Bureau of Prisons. In this role, she ensures compliance with federal dietary standards, religious accommodation requirements, and nutritional guidelines for incarcerated populations. Her procurement portfolio primarily encompasses the acquisition of culturally and faith-specific meals, including Kosher and Halal offerings, as well as bulk grocery supplies and specialized food manufacturing services. She manages full lifecycle contracting actions—from market research and solicitation development to award and contract administration—ensuring alignment with FAR regulations and agency operational priorities. Cross maintains longstanding relationships with key vendors including ABNY Distribution LLC, Pueblo Trading Co Inc, L.A. Foods, LLC, Shaver Foods LLC, and AMS Consultant, all of whom provide specialized food distribution, processing, and logistical support. These partnerships are characterized by consistent performance, regulatory compliance, and responsiveness to the unique dietary and religious needs of the inmate population. Her contracting approach emphasizes reliability, scalability, and adherence to federal food safety and halal/kosher certification standards. A significant portion of her acquisitions—40%—are set aside for total small business participation under FAR 19.5, reflecting a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting. While no set-aside remains the most common approach, she actively prioritizes small business involvement, particularly among businesses certified as small, disadvantaged, or otherwise eligible under the Small Business Act. Her contracting patterns demonstrate deliberate efforts to expand opportunities for small firms in the food supply chain. Her primary NAICS focus includes 311999 (miscellaneous food manufacturing) and 424410 (grocery wholesaling), with additional emphasis on 238990 (specialty trade contractors) and 611519 (technical and trade schools), indicating a diversified procurement strategy that includes specialized food preparation services and workforce development partnerships. Cross brings deep expertise in food systems procurement within high-security federal correctional environments.