Carla S. Gilchrist

Carla S. Gilchrist serves as a Contract Specialist within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Region 11, where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical IT and professional services acquisitions that advance federal digital modernization and cybersecurity resilience. She manages the full lifecycle of complex procurements under GSA schedules and other governmentwide acquisition contracts, with a focus on securing scalable software development, systems integration, and electronic computer manufacturing solutions. Her work directly supports the agency’s strategic imperative to modernize legacy infrastructure while ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and cybersecurity standards such as NIST SP 800-53. Gilchrist collaborates with a broad spectrum of vendors, including established prime contractors and niche technology providers specializing in federal IT modernization. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages firms with proven expertise in secure cloud architectures, custom application development, and hardware procurement aligned with federal interoperability requirements. Her approach emphasizes performance-based contracting, clear statement of work development, and rigorous source selection processes to ensure technical excellence and mission alignment. Her procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted without set-aside designations. This indicates a focus on selecting the most technically capable and cost-effective solutions regardless of socioeconomic status, though she remains compliant with all small business outreach and reporting obligations. Her approach prioritizes capability over certification, ensuring mission needs drive sourcing decisions. Gilchrist’s primary NAICS focus lies in Electronic Computer Manufacturing (334111) and Other Computer Related Services (541519), underscoring her specialization in procuring hardware systems, embedded computing solutions, and specialized IT consulting services. She regularly manages acquisitions for secure endpoints, data center infrastructure, and custom software tools supporting federal agency operations, demonstrating deep technical fluency in both commercial-off-the-shelf and bespoke IT solutions.