Cari Etherington

Cari Etherington serves as a Contract Negotiator responsible for managing the acquisition lifecycle for complex technical and industrial products, ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations and optimizing value for government stakeholders. Her role centers on negotiating terms, evaluating proposals, and ensuring contractual alignment with mission requirements across diverse technical domains. She plays a pivotal role in translating agency needs into enforceable, performance-based contracts, often working with manufacturers and service providers to secure specialized components and systems critical to national infrastructure and defense readiness. While specific contractor names are not available, Etherington maintains consistent engagement with a broad spectrum of vendors, including both large-scale manufacturers and small businesses specializing in precision aerospace components, electronic systems, and custom IT services. Her negotiation approach emphasizes risk mitigation, deliverable clarity, and long-term supplier reliability, fostering collaborative relationships grounded in transparency and regulatory adherence. She routinely interfaces with contractors across the supply chain to ensure technical specifications are met and delivery timelines are sustained. Etherington demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with 27.3% of her acquisitions structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to promote economic inclusion and leverage the innovation capacity of small businesses, while the remaining 72.7% of awards are competed without set-aside restrictions, indicating a balanced approach that prioritizes both competition and socioeconomic objectives. Her primary procurement focus lies in aerospace and electronic manufacturing, particularly under NAICS 336413 for other aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment, and 811219 for miscellaneous repair and maintenance services. She also regularly procures electronic components under 334416 and custom computer programming services under 541511, demonstrating deep expertise in avionics, signal conditioning systems, and mission-critical software solutions. Her technical acumen spans electromechanical systems, communications hardware, and embedded firmware, positioning her as a key liaison between engineering requirements and contract execution.