Dena Nannetti

Dena Nannetti serves as a Contract Specialist within the Contract Administration Services Division (70RCAS) of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations, where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical acquisitions that support national security and operational readiness. She manages the full lifecycle of professional, scientific, and technical service contracts, with a primary focus on research and development in physical and engineering sciences. Her work ensures the acquisition of advanced systems engineering, cybersecurity solutions, and technical services essential to maintaining the integrity of DHS’s critical infrastructure and scientific capabilities. Nannetti collaborates with a diverse range of contractors, including large primes and specialized small businesses, to deliver high-complexity technical services. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her contracting patterns reflect a preference for firms with proven expertise in R&D, systems integration, and cybersecurity engineering. She engages vendors through competitive sealed bidding and negotiated procurements, emphasizing performance-based contracting and rigorous contract administration to ensure compliance with federal standards and mission outcomes. Her procurement strategy prioritizes small business participation, with approximately one-third of her awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate commitment to expanding opportunities for small businesses capable of delivering specialized technical services, though she does not routinely employ 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides. Her approach balances socioeconomic goals with the technical rigor required for DHS’s high-stakes missions. Nannetti’s work is exclusively focused on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology). She procures advanced engineering services, scientific research, systems analysis, and technical support for homeland security applications, including cybersecurity modeling, physical science experimentation, and applied engineering solutions. Her domain expertise lies in bridging cutting-edge R&D with operational procurement frameworks to deliver mission-critical capabilities.