Debra C Kaelberer

Debra C. Kaelberer serves as a Contracting Officer within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, Office of Acquisition and Supply Chain Management (OAS PCMB), where she leads the acquisition of critical laboratory and analytical capabilities essential to safeguarding the nation’s meat, poultry, and egg products. Her portfolio centers on securing advanced diagnostic instrumentation, in-vitro diagnostic substances, and data analytics systems that enable real-time detection of biological and chemical hazards. She ensures compliance with federal procurement regulations while aligning acquisitions with FSIS’s science-driven mission to uphold public health through innovative inspection technologies. Kaelberer cultivates strategic partnerships with specialized vendors in the life sciences and analytical services sectors, including manufacturers of molecular diagnostics, laboratory consumables, and bioinformatics platforms. While no single contractor dominates her award history, she consistently engages with firms possessing technical expertise in pathogen detection, genomic sequencing, and automated data interpretation systems. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based requirements, technical evaluations, and vendor qualification through rigorous source selection processes to ensure reliability and scientific validity. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 92.9% of her actions conducted without set-aside restrictions, demonstrating a focus on technical capability over socioeconomic categorization. However, she maintains a consistent, albeit modest, commitment to small business participation, with 7.1% of awards directed under Total Small Business Set-Asides in accordance with FAR 19.5, ensuring opportunities for qualified small firms in niche scientific domains. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 325413 (In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing), reflecting deep engagement with reagents, assay kits, and biosensors for pathogen identification. She also frequently procures professional scientific services under NAICS 541990 and supports workforce development through partnerships with junior colleges under NAICS 611210, ensuring a pipeline of trained technical personnel. Kaelberer’s expertise spans molecular diagnostics, laboratory automation, and data-driven surveillance systems critical to modern food safety enforcement.