Clara A. Roberts

Clara Roberts serves as a Contract Specialist within Inc. Federal Prison Industries, a mission-driven component of the U.S. Department of Justice. She plays a pivotal role in executing procurements that align with the agency’s core objective of providing vocational training and meaningful employment to incarcerated individuals through industrial production. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of acquisition actions—from market research and solicitation development to contract award and administration—focusing on goods and services produced by inmate labor programs. Clara specializes in complex, multi-year contracts for manufactured products and support services, ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations while advancing rehabilitation and cost-efficiency goals. Clara maintains enduring relationships with a select group of experienced contractors, including Veterans Range Solutions, LLC, Krueger International, Inc., and Blind Industries and Services of Maryland. These partnerships are characterized by long-term collaboration, often involving sole-source or limited-competition awards under special authorities that support mission-aligned entities such as nonprofit agencies employing individuals with disabilities or veterans. Her working pattern emphasizes trust-based engagements with vendors who share the agency’s commitment to social impact and operational reliability. A staunch advocate for socioeconomic contracting, Clara consistently prioritizes small business set-asides, with over 75% of her acquisitions designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. She actively leverages 8(a) and other disadvantaged business programs, reflecting a deliberate strategy to expand economic opportunity for underserved communities while ensuring high-quality, mission-critical deliverables. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 311119 (Other Animal Food Manufacturing), where she oversees the production of pet and livestock feed, alongside significant activity in footwear manufacturing (316210) and plastics bag and pouch manufacturing (326111). She also manages environmental services (541620) and temporary staffing solutions (561320), demonstrating technical expertise in both industrial production and operational support services critical to federal agency operations.