Candy L. Zemke

Candy L. Zemke serves as a Contract Specialist within the FA4830 23 Cons Cc unit of the Department of the Air Force, where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical procurements that sustain airborne readiness and operational infrastructure. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle management of contracts for advanced communications systems, aviation safety equipment, and full-mission training solutions, ensuring alignment with Air Force operational requirements and federal acquisition regulations. Zemke’s portfolio emphasizes technical acquisitions that support air operations, facility sustainment, and mission-enabling services, requiring deep familiarity with defense procurement protocols and complex technical specifications. She maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors, including ARDMORE CONSULTING GROUP, INC, MACHINE TOOL MARKETING INC, GOVAGE, INC., DARK WATERS ENTERPRISING, LLC, and TESTFORCE USA, INC. These partnerships reflect a mix of specialized service providers and niche technical vendors, often engaged for niche capabilities in training simulation, logistics support, and specialized maintenance services. Zemke’s contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes and vendor reliability, fostering long-term collaborations with firms capable of delivering mission-critical solutions under demanding operational conditions. While the majority of her acquisitions are conducted as unrestricted competitions (70%), Zemke demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, consistently allocating 30% of her portfolio to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate effort to expand opportunities for small businesses across diverse socioeconomic categories, though no specific set-asides such as 8(a) or HUBZone dominate her portfolio. Her primary NAICS focus areas include Landscaping Services, Asphalt Paving Mixture and Block Manufacturing, Automotive Repair and Maintenance, Logging, and Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction—indicating a broad scope of support services required to maintain base infrastructure and operational readiness. These categories suggest her work extends beyond traditional defense procurement into facility sustainment, environmental management, and personnel training support, underscoring her versatility in managing non-traditional defense-related acquisitions.