Cara Y Calimano

Cara Y. Calimano serves as a procurement professional responsible for managing complex acquisitions across professional, scientific, and technical services. She plays a pivotal role in executing the agency’s acquisition strategy by overseeing contracts that support mission-critical functions, particularly in information technology, data services, and specialized consulting. Her portfolio includes high-value, non-commodity procurements requiring technical specificity and compliance with federal acquisition regulations, with a focus on performance-based contracting and outcome-driven deliverables. Calimano’s work ensures that agency needs are met through competitive, transparent, and compliant sourcing practices. Her contractor relationships are primarily with firms specializing in professional services, software development, and technology distribution. She engages with a broad spectrum of vendors, including large systems integrators, niche IT consultants, and wholesale distributors of computer equipment and software. While no single contractor dominates her award stream, her procurement patterns reflect a preference for established industry players with proven technical capabilities and robust compliance frameworks, fostering long-term vendor partnerships grounded in performance and accountability. Calimano’s contracting activity is overwhelmingly non-set-aside, with 99.1% of awards issued under full and open competition. Only 0.9% are designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, indicating a strategic emphasis on competition over socioeconomic preferences. Her approach aligns with mission requirements that prioritize technical expertise and scalability over socioeconomic targeting, though she remains compliant with all applicable small business regulations. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990 (other professional services) and 519190 (other information services), reflecting a strong demand for analytical, advisory, and digital content services. She also regularly procures custom computer programming (541511) and wholesale distribution of computing hardware and software (423430), demonstrating deep expertise in IT infrastructure, data systems, and technology-enabled service delivery. Her domain knowledge spans software development lifecycles, data analytics platforms, and enterprise technology integration.