Carla Thomas

Carla Thomas serves as a key procurement professional within the Contract Administration Services Division of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations, where she supports the acquisition of critical professional, scientific, and technical services essential to national security operations. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of complex contracts for systems engineering, cybersecurity infrastructure, and advanced research and development initiatives. She ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurements with the agency’s mission to enhance operational readiness and maintain the integrity of mission-critical systems. Her portfolio primarily encompasses performance-based service contracts for engineering, analytical, and technical support services. Carla collaborates with a diverse array of contractors, including large defense and technology firms, as well as specialized firms in cybersecurity, systems integration, and scientific research. While no single vendor dominates her award portfolio, her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established contractors with proven technical capabilities in homeland security domains. She fosters long-term partnerships grounded in performance metrics, contract compliance, and mission alignment, often leveraging Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) vehicles to streamline acquisition timelines. Carla’s contracting activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of her awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic focus on selecting the most technically capable offerors regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing mission necessity and technical excellence over mandated set-asides. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her portfolio, she maintains compliance with all federal small business goals and may include small business subcontracting requirements where contract structure permits. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS categories related to scientific research and development, systems engineering, and cybersecurity services. She regularly acquires advanced technical services including threat analysis, network resilience engineering, physical security system integration, and data analytics platforms, demonstrating deep expertise in supporting DHS’s technical modernization and infrastructure protection objectives.