Barbara Marlow

Barbara Marlow serves as a key procurement professional within the Public Buildings Service’s PBS R6 Construction Acquisition Branch under the General Services Administration, where she manages the acquisition of mission-critical federal construction and engineering services. Her role centers on executing full lifecycle contracting for the design, construction, and renovation of federal facilities, ensuring compliance with federal building codes, sustainability standards, and security requirements. She handles complex, high-stakes procurements under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, primarily involving design-build and construction management at-risk delivery methods, supporting infrastructure modernization across federal agency tenants. Marlow collaborates with a diverse pool of contractors specializing in commercial and institutional construction, including general contractors, design firms, and specialty subcontractors. Her working relationships emphasize performance-based contracting and rigorous contractor qualification standards, fostering partnerships with firms capable of delivering complex, code-compliant projects under tight timelines. She prioritizes collaboration with firms possessing proven experience in federal facility construction and maintains strong oversight of contract performance to ensure quality, safety, and timeliness. A strong advocate for socioeconomic equity in federal contracting, Marlow consistently applies small business set-asides, with 55% of her acquisitions reserved for total small businesses and 20% specifically for women-owned small businesses. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate strategy to increase opportunities for small and disadvantaged firms, aligning with FAR 19.5 and GSA’s broader diversity goals. She actively encourages participation from HUBZone and SDVOSB entities, ensuring broad access to federal construction opportunities. Her procurement focus is overwhelmingly centered on NAICS 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction), with a secondary emphasis on NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services). She procures turnkey construction solutions, structural renovations, MEP systems upgrades, and associated architectural and civil engineering services, demonstrating deep technical expertise in federal facility standards, ADA compliance, and sustainable building practices.