Bernadette Michelle Carter

Bernadette Michelle Carter serves as a Contract Specialist within the Federal Protective Service East CCG Division 1 Acquisition Division, part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations. In this role, she is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of procurement actions for protective security services, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and mission-critical operational requirements. Her portfolio centers on the acquisition of contracted security personnel and integrated surveillance systems essential to safeguarding federal facilities. She executes competitive and non-competitive procurements, drafts solicitation documents, evaluates proposals, and administers performance-based contracts to maintain the integrity and continuity of federal site security operations. Carter maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including GXC MAX INC, FLATTER, INC, and ENPROVERA CORP, all of which specialize in providing physical security services and related technical support. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance outcomes, clear statement of work definitions, and rigorous contractor accountability. She collaborates closely with these vendors to ensure alignment with federal security protocols, operational readiness standards, and evolving threat mitigation strategies, fostering long-term, results-driven partnerships grounded in compliance and reliability. A defining feature of Carter’s contracting practice is her exclusive focus on 8(a) competed set-asides, with 100% of her acquisitions reserved for small businesses certified under the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program. This reflects a deep institutional commitment to socioeconomic equity and the empowerment of disadvantaged entrepreneurs in the security services sector. She actively cultivates a pipeline of 8(a) eligible firms, ensuring competitive fairness while advancing federal goals for small business inclusion and capacity building. Her technical expertise is narrowly focused on NAICS 561612—Security Guards and Patrol Services—where she specializes in procuring armed and unarmed protective services, access control operations, and mobile patrol solutions for federal buildings and high-risk infrastructure. She possesses specialized knowledge in performance metrics, security staffing standards, and contract surveillance frameworks critical to sustaining secure federal environments.