Barbara Darling

Barbara Darling serves as a Contracting Officer responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation and promoting efficient, transparent procurement practices. She oversees the solicitation, evaluation, award, and administration of contracts across a diverse range of services, with a strong emphasis on infrastructure support and public works. Her role is central to executing the agency’s mission by securing essential services that enable operational readiness and community infrastructure maintenance. Darling typically handles competitive procurements under sealed bid and negotiated methods, with a focus on service-based contracts requiring precise performance metrics and compliance oversight. While specific contractor names are not available, her procurement patterns indicate consistent engagement with small business vendors, particularly those certified under socioeconomic programs. She cultivates partnerships with firms capable of delivering specialized services in construction support, environmental maintenance, and technical surveying, fostering long-term vendor relationships grounded in performance reliability and regulatory adherence. Her approach emphasizes fair competition and accountability, ensuring that contractors meet stringent quality and compliance standards throughout contract execution. Darling demonstrates a pronounced commitment to small business participation, with 81.8% of her awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to maximize opportunities for small businesses, including those owned by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Her contracting patterns consistently prioritize socioeconomic goals, aligning with federal mandates to promote equitable access to government contracting and strengthen local economies through targeted small business engagement. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS categories including Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction; Janitorial Services; Support Activities for Forestry; Surveying and Mapping Services; and Septic Tank and Related Services. These reflect expertise in civil infrastructure support, environmental sanitation, and land-based technical services. Darling’s technical domain knowledge spans construction management, environmental compliance, and geospatial data collection, enabling her to effectively evaluate proposals and ensure contractor capabilities align with complex operational requirements.