Cheryl A. Drake

Cheryl A. Drake serves as a Contracting Officer responsible for managing full lifecycle acquisitions within a federal procurement environment, ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation and promoting efficient, transparent contracting practices. She specializes in the procurement of electrical switchgear and switchboard apparatus, overseeing solicitations from market research through contract award and administration. Her role is central to fulfilling mission-critical infrastructure needs, ensuring that all acquisitions align with technical specifications, delivery timelines, and federal procurement integrity standards. She typically handles complex, performance-based contracts requiring detailed engineering validation and rigorous source selection processes. Cheryl works closely with a focused pool of manufacturers and systems integrators specializing in medium- and high-voltage electrical distribution equipment. While specific contractor names are not disclosed, her procurement patterns reflect consistent engagement with firms possessing deep expertise in switchgear design, testing, and compliance with IEEE and NEMA standards. She fosters collaborative vendor relationships grounded in technical transparency, timely communication, and adherence to contract performance metrics, ensuring reliable delivery of mission-critical electrical infrastructure components. Cheryl demonstrates an unwavering commitment to small business participation, directing 100% of her acquisitions to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to maximize economic opportunity for small manufacturers and promote workforce development within the electrical equipment sector. Her contracting approach consistently prioritizes small business eligibility verification, subcontracting plan review, and post-award performance monitoring to ensure meaningful participation and sustainable growth among qualified small vendors. Her primary technical focus lies in NAICS 335313, Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing, where she procures custom-engineered electrical control systems, circuit breakers, busways, and protective relay assemblies. She possesses deep familiarity with the technical requirements of power distribution networks, including arc-flash mitigation, load interruption ratings, and compliance with UL 891 standards. Her expertise ensures that all acquisitions meet stringent safety, reliability, and interoperability benchmarks for federal facilities and infrastructure.