Cheryl L. Hickman

Cheryl Hickman serves as a key procurement professional within the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), supporting the agency’s mission to enhance investigative and forensic capabilities through strategic acquisitions. She manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on security systems, analytical laboratory instrumentation, and operational support services critical to federal law enforcement readiness. Her work directly enables ATF’s modernization initiatives, particularly in forensic science and field deployment technologies, ensuring that investigative units are equipped with reliable, compliant, and mission-critical tools. Hickman maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors, including WEST PUBLISHING CORPORATION, JDHQ HOLDING LP, and APPLE TEN ALABAMA SERVICES, LLC, among others. These partnerships reflect a focus on high-integrity service providers in security operations, lodging support for field personnel, and specialized business services. Her contracting patterns indicate a preference for established vendors with proven track records in delivering secure, scalable, and mission-aligned solutions, often under firm-fixed-price or cost-reimbursement structures. Her procurement strategy prioritizes small business participation, with 40% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. While no other socioeconomic set-asides dominate her portfolio, her consistent use of small business set-asides demonstrates a deliberate commitment to expanding opportunities for qualified small businesses in federal law enforcement contracting. Hickman’s primary NAICS focus areas include Security Systems Services (561621), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), and Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611). She routinely procures surveillance and access control systems, forensic analysis equipment, and background verification services—all essential to ATF’s operational and regulatory enforcement functions. Her technical expertise lies at the intersection of law enforcement technology and compliance-driven procurement, ensuring that acquisitions meet stringent federal standards for security, accuracy, and reliability.