Carolyn A. Smith

Carolyn A. Smith serves as a Contracting Officer within the Contract Administration Services Division (70RCAS) of the Department of Homeland Security, where she plays a pivotal role in executing strategic acquisitions that advance national security through professional, scientific, and technical services. Her portfolio centers on the procurement of research and development solutions, systems engineering support, and administrative management consulting services critical to sustaining operational readiness and technological integrity across DHS missions. She manages full lifecycle contracting actions—from market research and solicitation to award and closeout—ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and alignment with agency priorities in physical sciences, cybersecurity, and engineering innovation. Carolyn collaborates with a diverse ecosystem of contractors, including large primes with deep expertise in R&D and systems integration, as well as mid-tier firms delivering specialized technical consulting. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, rigorous technical evaluation, and contract administration excellence. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she maintains consistent working relationships with vendors capable of delivering high-complexity, mission-critical services under time-sensitive timelines and stringent security requirements. Carolyn’s contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her awards issued without set-aside designations. This reflects a strategic focus on maximizing competition among qualified industry participants rather than socioeconomic categorization, while still ensuring fair and transparent processes. Her approach prioritizes technical capability and past performance over socioeconomic status, aligning with the Division’s mission to secure the most capable solutions for national security needs. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712 (R&D in physical, engineering, and life sciences), NAICS 541720 (R&D in social sciences and humanities), and NAICS 541611 (management consulting). She regularly procures services such as cybersecurity modeling, systems architecture design, policy analysis, and operational readiness assessments, demonstrating deep domain expertise in engineering sciences and federal program management.