Bernita A. Kitchens

Bernita A. Kitchens serves as a Contract Specialist within the FA6670 914 AW LGC under the Department of the Air Force, where she manages the acquisition lifecycle for mission-critical facilities and infrastructure support services. Her role encompasses the full spectrum of contracting activities—from market research and solicitation development to award administration and contract closeout—ensuring compliance with FAR and Air Force-specific directives. She primarily handles complex service-based acquisitions in construction, engineering, and environmental management, aligning procurement outcomes with the agency’s mandate to sustain aging military installations and maintain operational readiness across diverse geographic locations. Kitchens maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including La Salle Hospitality Inc. and Paradigm Environmental Services, Inc., reflecting a preference for established vendors with proven capabilities in facility operations, maintenance, and environmental compliance. Her procurement patterns indicate a reliance on experienced contractors capable of delivering integrated services across multiple technical domains, often requiring coordination between construction, engineering, and environmental remediation disciplines. These partnerships are characterized by repeat engagements and performance-based contract structures designed to ensure long-term reliability and mission continuity. Her contracting approach prioritizes broad market access, with 75% of her acquisitions conducted without set-asides, while maintaining a dedicated 25% commitment to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This balanced strategy supports both competitive bidding and socioeconomic objectives, enabling small businesses to compete meaningfully without compromising mission-critical requirements. She does not rely heavily on specialized set-aside programs such as 8(a) or HUBZone, instead favoring open competition with targeted small business inclusion. Kitchens’ procurement portfolio is evenly distributed across four key NAICS categories: 333120 (Construction Machinery Manufacturing), 334511 (Aeronautical System and Instrument Manufacturing), 541310 (Architectural Services), and 541330 (Engineering Services). This reflects her technical expertise in procuring specialized equipment, facility design, and engineering solutions critical to air base infrastructure resilience and modernization efforts.