Carol Northrop

Carol Northrop serves as a Purchasing Agent for the National Forests in Florida, a unit of the U.S. Forest Service under the Department of Agriculture. In this role, she manages the acquisition of goods and services critical to the stewardship of public forest lands, including ecological restoration, infrastructure maintenance, and recreation area operations. Her procurement portfolio supports frontline forest management activities such as wildfire mitigation, invasive species control, and trail and road upkeep. She works closely with field staff to translate operational needs into compliant, timely solicitations under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, ensuring alignment with agency sustainability and public access goals. Northrop maintains strong partnerships with a diverse base of small and specialized contractors, particularly those certified under socioeconomic programs. She frequently collaborates with firms experienced in forestry support services, specialty trade contracting, and environmental maintenance, fostering long-term vendor relationships grounded in performance reliability and regulatory compliance. Her contracting approach emphasizes responsiveness to field conditions and adaptability in delivering mission-critical services across Florida’s varied terrain. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Northrop consistently prioritizes set-aside opportunities, with 93.6% of her acquisitions designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. She actively leverages HUBZone and other socioeconomic programs to promote economic development in underserved communities, ensuring that federal procurement dollars directly benefit local and mission-aligned enterprises. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate strategy to maximize competition among qualified small firms while maintaining rigorous performance standards. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), where she secures services like prescribed burning, forest inventory, and habitat enhancement. She also regularly procures janitorial services for visitor facilities, specialty trade contracting for structural improvements, and highway construction for access routes. Northrop’s expertise spans environmental compliance, land management logistics, and public infrastructure procurement, making her a key enabler of the agency’s conservation and public service mission.