Chanda Cum

Chanda Cum supports the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center’s acquisition mission within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, managing procurement activities that enable critical conservation and land management initiatives. Responsible for executing complex service contracts, Cum facilitates the acquisition of technical and engineering services essential to soil health programs, land easement restoration, and data-driven agricultural planning. Their work ensures that field-level conservation efforts are supported by high-quality, mission-aligned solutions, primarily through the procurement of custom software development and environmental consulting services. Cum operates with a strong focus on technical precision and regulatory compliance, aligning acquisitions with USDA’s broader goals of sustainable land use and rural resilience. Cum maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including PROJECTELLA LLC, HOMESTEAD SERVICES, LLC, and JANIE B LLC, all of which provide specialized expertise in environmental analysis and custom programming for agricultural data systems. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven capabilities in delivering tailored solutions for conservation planning, GIS mapping, and soil data analytics. The working relationship pattern emphasizes long-term collaboration with firms that demonstrate technical depth, regulatory familiarity, and responsiveness to field-level operational needs. Cum’s procurement strategy reflects an even split between open competitions and Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a deliberate commitment to fostering small business participation. There is no preference for 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, but the consistent use of total small business set-asides ensures broad access for qualified small firms across the environmental and IT service sectors. The primary NAICS focus areas are 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services) and 541620 (Environmental Consulting Services), indicating a strong emphasis on developing specialized software tools for conservation data management and engaging consultants to support land use planning, ecological assessments, and compliance monitoring. These procurements directly enable data-informed decision-making for USDA conservation programs across rural America.