Cari V Converse

Cari V. Converse serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, from requirements definition through contract award and administration. She plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and supports her agency’s mission by delivering mission-critical services through transparent, competitive procurement processes. Her portfolio primarily encompasses professional and information technology services, with a strong emphasis on IT modernization, systems support, and organizational services. She works closely with program managers and technical evaluators to align contracting strategies with operational needs, ensuring timely and lawful execution of procurements. While specific contractor names are not available, Converse maintains a balanced vendor ecosystem that includes both large industry primes and small business subcontractors. Her approach fosters collaboration across market segments, encouraging competition while ensuring technical capability and performance reliability. She engages with vendors through formal solicitations, including Requests for Proposals and Requests for Information, and actively promotes fair and open competition in accordance with best practices in federal contracting. Converse demonstrates a clear preference for socioeconomic programs, with 40% of her acquisitions structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate commitment to expanding opportunities for small businesses, particularly those certified under the Small Business Administration’s programs. She avoids set-asides for specific categories like 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB, instead favoring broad small business eligibility to maximize competition and innovation among qualified vendors. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) and 541513 (Computer Facilities Management Services), indicating deep expertise in IT support, cloud infrastructure, and managed services. She also regularly procures services under NAICS 511210 (Software Publishers) and 813920 (Professional Organizations), underscoring her engagement with software development, technical consulting, and trade association services. Her domain knowledge spans IT modernization, data systems management, and professional services procurement within the federal IT ecosystem.