Chelsea T. Dean

Chelsea Dean serves as a procurement specialist within the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), supporting the agency’s mission to deliver secure, resilient, and interoperable C4I systems for global military operations. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on engineering services, facilities support, training, and language services critical to sustaining DoD’s command and control infrastructure. Her work ensures alignment with DISA’s strategic priorities in cybersecurity, cloud modernization, and mission-critical IT sustainment, leveraging full and open competition alongside socioeconomic set-asides to meet operational requirements while promoting equitable market access. Dean maintains a strong working relationship with Expression Networks LLC, a primary contractor providing specialized technical and operational support across multiple contract vehicles. Her procurement patterns reflect consistent engagement with a core group of trusted vendors capable of delivering complex, mission-aligned solutions under tight security and compliance standards. She frequently collaborates with contractors who possess TS/SCI clearances and experience in DoD IT modernization environments, fostering long-term partnerships built on technical reliability and regulatory adherence. Her contracting approach prioritizes small business participation, with 60% of her acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, and an additional 20% reserved for 8(a) competitors. This reflects a deliberate strategy to expand the defense industrial base by empowering small, innovative firms while ensuring compliance with socioeconomic contracting goals. She actively seeks out qualified small businesses with expertise in IT infrastructure, training delivery, and translation services tailored to military operations. Dean’s procurement focus centers on NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services), which dominates her portfolio, followed by facilities support, translation and interpretation, and professional training services. She regularly acquires cybersecurity-enabled engineering solutions, command post sustainment support, multilingual communications services, and mission-specific workforce development programs—all essential to maintaining DISA’s global communications architecture and readiness posture.