Dana Rae Graham

Dana Rae Graham serves as a Contract Specialist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical procurements that support the agency’s core mission of advancing measurement science, standards, and technological innovation. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on high-precision analytical instrumentation, laboratory services, and advanced manufacturing technologies essential to national security and industrial competitiveness. Her work ensures NIST maintains cutting-edge capabilities in semiconductor characterization, materials analysis, and calibration systems, aligning procurement strategy with scientific and technical requirements across federal research programs. Graham maintains consistent partnerships with specialized vendors including Quality Biological, Inc., ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND LABORATORIES (ATL) INTERNATIONAL, INC., and PHYSICAL ELECTRONICS USA, INC., who provide calibrated instruments, specialized reagents, and analytical equipment critical to NIST’s laboratory operations. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical compatibility, traceability to NIST standards, and long-term service support, fostering collaborative relationships with vendors possessing deep domain expertise in scientific instrumentation and laboratory systems. Her procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 80.5% of awards issued without set-asides, indicating a focus on technical capability over socioeconomic categorization. However, she actively supports small business participation through Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, consistently incorporating qualified small businesses in niche technical categories where their capabilities align with NIST’s precision requirements. Graham’s primary NAICS focus is on 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), reflecting her specialization in procuring mass spectrometers, chromatography systems, and precision metrology tools. She also frequently engages contractors under 541380 (Testing Laboratories and Services) and 334419 (Other Electronic Component Manufacturing), demonstrating deep expertise in acquiring technical services and components that underpin NIST’s research in semiconductors, nanotechnology, and advanced materials.