Bethany Hayes, Forest Fleet Manager

Bethany Hayes serves as the Forest Fleet Manager for the White River National Forest, overseeing the acquisition and lifecycle management of specialized transportation equipment critical to forest operations. In this role, she ensures the agency’s fleet capabilities align with ecological stewardship goals, including wildfire response, invasive species control, and infrastructure maintenance across remote terrain. Her procurement activities center on rugged, mission-specific vehicles and transport systems designed for high-altitude, off-road environments, directly supporting the U.S. Forest Service’s mandate to sustain public lands through resilient, adaptive logistics. Hayes manages full-spectrum acquisitions under FAR Part 13 and Part 19, from simplified purchases to negotiated contracts, prioritizing operational readiness and environmental compatibility. Her primary contractor relationships include FRONTIER TINY HOMES, LLC and GERMRIP LLC, both of which deliver customized, durable transportation solutions tailored to forest service needs. These partnerships reflect a preference for niche manufacturers with expertise in modular, all-terrain vehicle platforms and specialized chassis modifications. Hayes fosters collaborative, long-term vendor relationships grounded in technical alignment and responsiveness to field operational feedback, often engaging contractors early in requirements development to ensure compliance with federal specifications for off-road mobility and emissions compliance. Hayes maintains a 100% small business set-aside preference across all her acquisitions, consistently directing contracts to small businesses under FAR 19.5. This reflects a strong institutional commitment to socioeconomic diversity and local economic development, particularly in rural Western states. Her procurement strategy prioritizes small manufacturers with proven capacity in niche transportation equipment, reinforcing the agency’s mission to empower underserved suppliers while maintaining mission-critical performance standards. Her procurement focus is exclusively under NAICS 336999, All Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing, specializing in custom-built, non-standardized vehicles such as all-terrain utility transporters, mobile command units, and modified forestry haulers. Hayes brings deep technical expertise in vehicle specifications for extreme terrain, including four-wheel drive systems, low-ground-pressure tires, and integrated forestry tool mounts, ensuring all acquisitions meet the rigorous demands of federal land management operations.