Cynthia L. Duncan

Cynthia L. Duncan serves as a Contracting Officer within the Contracts and Acquisitions Management unit of the Department of Education, where she leads the procurement of professional services critical to advancing federal education policy, research, and institutional capacity. Her portfolio centers on strategic acquisitions that support evidence-based decision-making, regulatory compliance, and the modernization of federal student aid and data collection systems. She routinely manages complex service contracts under FAR Part 12 and Part 15, prioritizing performance-based acquisition methods and outcome-driven requirements to ensure alignment with national educational objectives. Ms. Duncan maintains a primary working relationship with LPE-STRATEGIES LLC, a trusted vendor providing specialized consulting and analytical services. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established, high-performing contractors with demonstrated expertise in education policy and data systems, fostering long-term, performance-focused partnerships built on accountability and deliverables. While she engages a range of vendors, her relationships are characterized by consistent recompetition and rigorous evaluation of technical capability and past performance. Her set-aside preferences are heavily weighted toward open competition, with 87.5% of awards issued without socioeconomic set-asides, reflecting a focus on full and open competition under FAR 6.101. However, she consistently allocates 12.5% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a measured commitment to small business participation without compromising technical rigor or mission needs. Ms. Duncan’s procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 611710 (Educational Support Services), followed by 541690 and 541611, indicating deep specialization in research, policy analysis, administrative consulting, and education program management services. She frequently procures technical assistance, data analytics, compliance auditing, and systems modernization services tailored to federal education infrastructure, underscoring her expertise in mission-critical professional services procurement.