Carrie McKendry

Carrie L. McKendry serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, from market research and solicitation development to contract award and administration. Her role is central to ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and advancing mission-critical procurement objectives for food and beverage supply chains. She specializes in complex, high-volume procurements for perishable and processed food products, coordinating closely with logistics, quality assurance, and program stakeholders to meet operational requirements while maintaining fiscal accountability and regulatory integrity. McKendry maintains consistent working relationships with a broad base of food manufacturers and wholesale distributors, particularly those certified under small business programs. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established suppliers with proven capacity in food safety, cold chain logistics, and just-in-time delivery. She engages vendors through competitive sealed bidding and negotiated procurements, emphasizing transparency, fair competition, and performance-based contract management. Her procurement strategy prioritizes open competition, with 85.7% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions. However, she actively supports small business participation, allocating 14.3% of awards to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This balanced approach reflects a commitment to both efficiency and socioeconomic goals, ensuring small manufacturers have equitable access to federal opportunities without compromising mission readiness. McKendry’s technical expertise centers on NAICS categories tied to food production and distribution, with primary focus on Commercial Bakeries (311812), Fluid Milk Manufacturing (311511), and Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991). She routinely procures bulk bakery goods, pasteurized dairy products, and ready-to-eat meals requiring strict temperature control and shelf-life compliance. Her domain knowledge includes HACCP standards, USDA food safety regulations, and distribution logistics for perishable commodities, making her a key resource in securing safe, reliable, and scalable food supply solutions.