Dave Nag

Dave Nag supports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Acquisition in managing technical procurement activities aligned with the agency’s mission to enhance vehicle safety through evidence-based research and regulatory innovation. He oversees the acquisition of specialized testing and evaluation services critical to validating advanced automotive safety technologies, behavioral studies, and engineering analyses that inform federal motor vehicle standards. His work directly enables NHTSA’s data-driven policy development by ensuring timely access to high-integrity laboratory services and technical expertise essential for evaluating crashworthiness, driver assistance systems, and fuel efficiency performance. Nag maintains consistent working relationships with a focused set of contractors, primarily AMD International Technologies LLC, Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, and the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators. These partnerships reflect a preference for specialized technical service providers with proven capabilities in vehicle safety testing, systems analysis, and regulatory compliance support. His procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting, leveraging vendor expertise in controlled testing environments and real-world data collection to support NHTSA’s scientific and regulatory objectives. Nag’s procurement portfolio exhibits no use of socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic focus on technical capability and domain expertise over socioeconomic classifications, prioritizing the most qualified providers regardless of business size or certification status. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, vendors of all sizes are evaluated solely on technical merit and past performance. His primary procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 541380—Testing Laboratories and Services—reflecting deep expertise in acquiring third-party validation of automotive safety systems, including crash testing, sensor calibration, emissions analysis, and behavioral research methodologies. He consistently sources services requiring accredited laboratories, certified test protocols, and compliance with FMVSS and ISO standards, ensuring NHTSA’s regulatory decisions are grounded in rigorous, reproducible scientific evidence.