Arlene R Stern

Arlene R. Stern serves as a Contracting Officer for the FA4626 341 Construction Logistics unit within the Department of the Air Force, where she manages the acquisition of critical civil engineering and facility infrastructure services essential to mission readiness. Her portfolio focuses on sustaining and modernizing Air Force installations through the procurement of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and structural construction services. She plays a pivotal role in ensuring the operational integrity of military facilities by executing full and open competitions and set-aside contracts aligned with FAR guidelines, prioritizing resilience, safety, and long-term asset reliability. Stern maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors specializing in building systems maintenance and construction, most notably MID MOUNTAIN BOILER AND STEAM, INC., reflecting a pattern of recurring partnerships with firms possessing deep technical expertise in industrial heating and facility systems. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting and long-term vendor reliability, fostering stable collaborations with contractors who demonstrate proven capability in complex, mission-critical environments. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong commitment to small business participation, with nearly 45% of awards designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, and an additional 3.5% allocated to 8(a) competed contracts. While the majority of acquisitions remain open to all competitors, her deliberate use of socioeconomic set-asides supports the growth of small, disadvantaged, and HUBZone-certified firms, aligning with Department of Defense mandates to broaden vendor diversity. Stern’s primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 238220 (Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors), 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction), and 238210 (Electrical Contractors), underscoring her technical expertise in facility systems integration. She routinely oversees contracts for retrofitting utility networks, upgrading building envelopes, and installing compliant mechanical systems, demonstrating specialized knowledge in civil infrastructure modernization within DoD installations.