Christopher Phelps

Christopher Phelps serves as a key procurement lead within the USDA Forest Service’s Csa Intermountain 8 unit, overseeing the acquisition of critical infrastructure projects across national forests and remote operational sites in the Intermountain West. His role centers on managing full lifecycle contracting for highway, street, and bridge construction activities essential to maintaining public access, forest management operations, and environmental compliance. He ensures all acquisitions align with federal procurement regulations and agency priorities focused on resilience, safety, and long-term infrastructure sustainability, frequently coordinating with engineering, environmental, and field operations teams to define technical requirements and performance metrics. Phelps maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of specialized contractors including JACKSON EXCAVATION, INC, MEDVED GLOBAL INC, CT ELECTRIC LLC, SPRING FOUNTAIN STUDIOS LLC, and VEREN INDUSTRIES LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for firms with proven expertise in heavy civil construction, site grading, erosion control, and utility integration within sensitive ecological zones. His procurement approach emphasizes reliability, local knowledge, and demonstrated capacity to operate under challenging terrain and weather conditions, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in performance accountability and regulatory adherence. All of Phelps’ acquisitions are structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a firm commitment to socioeconomic contracting and regional economic development. He consistently awards contracts to small businesses with proven capabilities in civil construction, ensuring equitable access to federal opportunities while reinforcing workforce development in rural communities across the Intermountain region. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 237310 — Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction — encompassing road rehabilitation, culvert installation, retaining wall construction, and drainage system upgrades. He specializes in procurements requiring compliance with NEPA, wetland mitigation standards, and forest service engineering specifications, demonstrating deep technical familiarity with transportation infrastructure in federally managed wilderness areas.