Debra K Brinn

Debra K. Brinn serves as a Contracting Officer within the USDA Forest Service’s Incident Procurement unit, where she plays a critical role in enabling rapid response to wildland fires and all-hazard incidents across national forests and grasslands. She manages time-sensitive, mission-critical acquisitions for logistical, operational, and infrastructure services—including mobile command units, heavy equipment, water systems, and temporary housing—ensuring incident management teams have immediate access to essential resources. Her work directly supports the agency’s emergency response mission through the execution of urgent, flexible contracting actions under FAR Part 18 and other emergency procurement authorities. Brinn maintains dynamic relationships with a broad network of vendors specializing in incident support services, including small businesses with expertise in forestry operations, temporary infrastructure, and field logistics. She frequently collaborates with contractors possessing specialized capabilities in rapid deployment, remote site operations, and emergency supply chain management, fostering partnerships that prioritize agility, scalability, and compliance with federal emergency procurement standards. Her contracting approach emphasizes responsiveness and vendor reliability under high-pressure conditions. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Brinn consistently prioritizes small business set-asides, with 84.4% of her awards designated under FAR 19.5 for total small business contracting. Her portfolio reflects a strong commitment to socioeconomic programs, with frequent use of small business set-asides to empower local and regional vendors capable of delivering rapid incident support. This pattern reinforces the agency’s goal of building resilient, community-based supply chains. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), followed by specialized services in janitorial, landscaping, plumbing/heating/air-conditioning, and petroleum bulk distribution. These categories reflect her technical expertise in procuring field-ready, mission-critical infrastructure and environmental support services essential to incident operations in remote and austere environments.