Cassandra Sterba

Cassandra Sterba serves as a Contract Specialist within the IBC Acquisition Services Directorate of the Department of the Interior, where she plays a pivotal role in executing professional and technical service acquisitions critical to federal land management and resource stewardship. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle of contract actions—from requirements validation and market research to solicitation development, source selection, and award administration—ensuring alignment with FAR guidelines and agency mission priorities. She routinely handles complex procurements for specialized services including real estate valuation, aviation logistics, scientific research support, and systems design, all aimed at sustaining the integrity of public landholdings and trust assets. Sterba maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of experienced contractors, including Phoenix Air Group, Inc., Papillon Airways Inc., Brainerd Helicopters, Inc., HMC Helicopter Service LLC, and Mathematica Inc. These partnerships reflect a reliance on niche providers with proven expertise in aviation operations, data analytics, and technical consulting for federal land management applications. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, with a preference for vendors demonstrating operational reliability, regulatory compliance, and domain-specific technical capability. Her contracting patterns show a balanced approach to socioeconomic goals, with approximately one-third of awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deliberate commitment to expanding opportunities for small businesses. While the majority of her acquisitions remain open to all competitors, she actively leverages small business set-asides to foster competition and enhance innovation among qualified vendors. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 531120 (nonresidential building lessors), 511210 (software publishers), and 541519 (other computer-related services), indicating a strong emphasis on facility support, geospatial software solutions, and data-driven analytical services. These categories underscore her technical expertise in acquiring mission-critical digital infrastructure and operational support services essential to the Department’s stewardship objectives.