Carolyn Lethert

Carolyn Lethert serves as a Contract Specialist within the Contract Administration Services Division (70RCAS) of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations, where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisitions that support national security and operational readiness. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of professional, scientific, and technical service contracts, with a focus on research and development, systems engineering, and cybersecurity solutions. She ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurement activities with the agency’s mission to advance physical and engineering sciences and maintain critical infrastructure integrity. Carolyn collaborates with a diverse array of prime contractors specializing in technical services, including engineering firms, research institutions, and systems integrators. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her contracting patterns reflect consistent engagement with firms possessing deep domain expertise in R&D, computer systems design, and management consulting. She fosters collaborative, performance-based vendor relationships grounded in clear statement of work development, risk mitigation, and contract closeout discipline. Her procurement strategy prioritizes open competition, with 96.5% of her acquisitions conducted as non-set-aside actions, reflecting a preference for full and open procurement unless specific socioeconomic objectives apply. The remaining 3.5% are structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a measured but intentional commitment to small business participation without compromising mission-critical requirements. Carolyn’s primary NAICS focus areas include 541715 and 541712 for research and development in physical and engineering sciences, alongside 541611 for administrative and management consulting services. She routinely procures services related to systems analysis, laboratory testing, technical advisory support, and operational research—domains requiring high levels of technical proficiency and security clearance alignment. Her expertise lies in bridging scientific innovation with acquisition excellence to sustain DHS’s technological edge.