Celeste Walker

Celeste Walker serves as a Contract Specialist at USP Atwater, part of the Federal Bureau of Prisons under the Department of Justice, where she manages the acquisition of mission-critical services essential to the safe and humane operation of a federal correctional facility. Her responsibilities include planning, soliciting, awarding, and administering contracts for food services, medical support, infrastructure maintenance, and facility-related supplies. She ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurements with institutional needs for culturally appropriate nutrition, medical infrastructure, and operational sustainability. Walker typically handles complex, multi-year service contracts requiring stringent performance metrics and regulatory oversight. Walker maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including SEVEN CORNERS INC, KORSAR-CONTRACTS LLC, and L.A. FOODS, LLC, which provide specialized food services, facility maintenance, and institutional support solutions. Her procurement approach emphasizes reliability, compliance with dietary and safety standards, and vendor accountability. She fosters long-term vendor partnerships grounded in performance-based contracting, ensuring continuity of essential services critical to inmate health and institutional security. While the majority of her acquisitions—70.8%—are conducted without set-asides, Walker demonstrates a meaningful commitment to small business participation, with 29.2% of awards designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. She actively seeks qualified small business vendors capable of meeting the unique demands of federal correctional environments, prioritizing capability over socioeconomic status unless specifically mandated, reflecting a balanced approach to competition and mission readiness. Her primary NAICS focus areas include 622110 for medical and surgical support services, 238150 for facility infrastructure upgrades, and 311999 for specialty food manufacturing, particularly kosher and dietary-restricted meal production. Walker’s technical expertise lies in procuring regulated, high-compliance services where nutritional standards, sanitation protocols, and operational continuity are non-negotiable, making her a key steward of mission-critical acquisitions within the Federal Prison System.