Debby Y Wesselius

Debby Y. Wesselius serves as a key procurement professional within the R1 Regional Office of the U.S. Forest Service, part of the Department of Agriculture, where she manages acquisitions critical to sustaining national forest infrastructure and operational readiness. Her work centers on securing services and construction support essential to forest health, wildfire mitigation, and public access infrastructure across remote and ecologically sensitive landscapes. She handles a diverse portfolio of contract actions, primarily in support activities for forestry, civil engineering, and site preparation, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and mission-driven outcomes. Wesselius maintains collaborative relationships with a broad base of contractors specializing in forestry support, trail and road construction, and environmental remediation services. While specific vendor names are not disclosed, her contracting patterns reflect consistent engagement with firms possessing technical expertise in ecological restoration, timber harvesting support, and remote infrastructure maintenance. She fosters partnerships with vendors capable of operating in challenging terrains and under stringent environmental compliance standards, prioritizing performance, safety, and sustainability in vendor selection. A strong advocate for small business participation, Wesselius consistently directs over 73% of her acquisition portfolio toward total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a robust commitment to socioeconomic contracting goals. She also incorporates HUBZone set-asides, demonstrating targeted support for businesses located in economically distressed areas. Her contracting approach aligns with federal mandates to expand opportunities for disadvantaged entrepreneurs while maintaining rigorous performance standards. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), which dominates her portfolio, followed by heavy civil construction categories including highway and bridge construction (237310) and other heavy engineering (237990). She regularly procures services such as fuel reduction, trail maintenance, erosion control, and site grading—activities vital to forest resilience and public safety. Her technical expertise spans environmental compliance, land management logistics, and infrastructure lifecycle support in federally protected wildlands.