Delandra Burnett

Delandra Burnett serves as a key procurement professional at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where she supports the acquisition of critical services and infrastructure essential to maintaining world-class performing arts operations. Her work ensures the seamless functionality of stage, audiovisual, and facility systems that underpin the Center’s mission to deliver exceptional artistic experiences. Burnett typically manages complex contracts for technical and operational support, with a focus on building equipment installation, maintenance, and security services that uphold the highest standards of safety and performance readiness. Her contractor relationships center on specialized vendors in building equipment contracting and security services, partnering with firms capable of delivering precision installations for theatrical rigging, lighting control systems, and climate-sensitive stage environments. She also collaborates with security providers experienced in high-traffic cultural venues, ensuring compliance with federal safety protocols while maintaining unobtrusive, professional service delivery. Burnett cultivates long-term vendor partnerships grounded in technical reliability, responsiveness, and adherence to performance venue-specific operational demands. Burnett demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with approximately one-third of her procurements structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. While the majority of her contracts remain open to all competitors, she actively prioritizes opportunities for small businesses capable of delivering niche technical services, aligning with the Center’s broader equity and community engagement goals. Her contracting patterns reflect a balanced approach that supports economic inclusion without compromising operational excellence. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 238290 (Other Building Equipment Contractors) and 561612 (Security Guards and Patrol Services), reflecting her expertise in acquiring specialized infrastructure and venue protection services. She procures integrated stage systems, automated rigging, emergency response equipment, and 24/7 security personnel trained in cultural institution protocols, demonstrating deep technical fluency in the unique demands of performing arts facilities.