Catherine A. Perren

Catherine A. Perren serves as a key procurement professional within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), supporting the agency’s mission to advance environmental science and coastal resilience through strategic acquisitions. She manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on technical services critical to oceanic and atmospheric research, including surveying, environmental consulting, and data system development. Her work ensures the acquisition of high-precision instrumentation, analytical services, and operational support necessary for NOAA’s observational networks and predictive modeling capabilities, aligning procurement activities with federal scientific and stewardship objectives. Perren maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of contractors, including the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, Tronconi Segarra & Associates LLP, JNB Services LLC, Pure Enviro-Management, LLC, and The Regents of the University of Colorado. These partnerships reflect a preference for specialized firms capable of delivering niche environmental, geospatial, and technical services, often requiring advanced domain expertise in marine data collection, remote sensing, and environmental compliance. Her contracting patterns emphasize long-term collaboration with vendors possessing proven technical capabilities rather than broad-based, commoditized suppliers. Her procurement approach prioritizes open competition, with approximately 80% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions. However, she actively supports small business participation, allocating nearly 18% of opportunities to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, with modest but consistent allocations to women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and HUBZone small businesses, reflecting a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals. Perren’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541370 (Surveying and Mapping Services) and 541620 (Environmental Consulting Services), underscoring her expertise in geospatial data acquisition, coastal zone analysis, and environmental impact assessments. She also regularly procures other computer-related services and administrative management support, demonstrating a technical portfolio centered on scientific data integrity, environmental monitoring, and operational readiness for NOAA’s mission-critical programs.