Charles Cunningham

Charles Cunningham serves as a Contract Specialist with the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he plays a pivotal role in executing procurements that support the agency’s mission to deliver equitable access to nutritious food through federally funded programs such as SNAP, WIC, and the National School Lunch Program. He manages the full lifecycle of acquisitions for professional, scientific, and technical services, with a focus on system design, policy research, and operational modernization initiatives. His work ensures compliance with federal procurement regulations while advancing FNS’s strategic goals of program integrity and data-driven decision-making. Cunningham collaborates with a diverse array of contractors, primarily professional services firms specializing in systems design, social science research, and technical consulting. While no single vendor dominates his portfolio, he routinely engages with firms capable of delivering complex analytical services, program evaluation frameworks, and digital platform development to support FNS’s evidence-based policy initiatives. His contracting approach emphasizes vendor responsiveness, technical proficiency, and adherence to federal standards for performance and accountability. He demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with approximately one-third of his acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deliberate effort to expand opportunities for small businesses in federal nutrition program support. While no specific set-aside categories like 8(a) or HUBZone are predominant, his consistent use of small business set-asides signals a proactive alignment with federal goals for inclusive contracting and market diversification. His procurement focus centers on NAICS codes 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services), 541720 (Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities), and 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services). He routinely procures services related to data analytics, program evaluation, user-centered system design, and policy impact studies, demonstrating deep expertise in supporting FNS’s technical and operational modernization priorities through high-value professional services.