Annemarie Spence

Annemarie Spence serves as a Contract Specialist within the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Acquisition Division of the Department of Homeland Security, where she plays a pivotal role in procuring advanced radiation detection technologies critical to national security. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of acquisition programs for next-generation personal radiation detectors, handheld isotope identifiers, and fixed-site monitoring systems. She ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurements with the agency’s mission to safeguard domestic borders and critical infrastructure from nuclear and radiological threats. Spence specializes in complex technical acquisitions requiring rigorous performance specifications and rapid deployment capabilities. Her contractor relationships are primarily with manufacturers and integrators of specialized detection equipment, particularly those with expertise in nuclear sensing, signal processing, and ruggedized electronics. While no single vendor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages with firms capable of meeting stringent DHS certification standards and delivering field-deployable systems under tight timelines. Her working relationships reflect a preference for technical proficiency and proven track records in government-contracted sensor development, fostering partnerships with both established defense contractors and innovative small firms capable of rapid prototyping. Spence’s contracting patterns reflect a strong emphasis on open competition, with 84.6% of her awards issued without set-aside restrictions. However, she actively supports small business participation, with 15.4% of acquisitions designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. Her approach balances mission-critical performance needs with socioeconomic goals, ensuring opportunities for qualified small businesses without compromising technical requirements. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334519 (Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing), reflecting her specialization in advanced radiation detection instrumentation. She also engages with fabricators of structural metal components and heavy civil engineering contractors for deployment infrastructure, demonstrating broad technical acumen across the detection system lifecycle—from sensor design to field installation.