Frank Douglass

Cheri L. Redding serves as a Contracting Officer within the Contract Administration Services Division (70RCAS) of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations, where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical acquisitions that support national security and operational readiness. She specializes in the procurement of professional, scientific, and technical services centered on research and development in physical and engineering sciences, ensuring the integrity of advanced systems and technologies critical to homeland defense. Her portfolio includes complex contract actions for systems engineering, cybersecurity research, and technical innovation initiatives, requiring rigorous compliance with federal acquisition regulations and performance-based contract management standards. Redding collaborates with a diverse array of prime contractors and technical service providers, predominantly large, established firms with proven expertise in federal R&D environments. Her working relationships are characterized by a focus on technical excellence, performance accountability, and long-term contract administration, often involving cost-reimbursement and time-and-materials instruments to accommodate the iterative nature of scientific and engineering projects. She maintains a results-driven approach to vendor oversight, ensuring deliverables align with agency mission objectives and technical specifications. Redding’s contracting activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under non-set-aside authorities. While she does not routinely utilize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her procurement decisions prioritize technical capability and mission alignment over socioeconomic classifications, consistent with the high-stakes nature of the work she supports. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced engineering services, prototype development, laboratory testing, and systems integration solutions. Her domain expertise spans physical science applications, cybersecurity research, and technical infrastructure modernization, making her a key steward of innovation-driven acquisitions within the Department of Homeland Security.