Denise Lopez

Denise Lopez serves as a key procurement professional within the IBC Acquisition Services Directorate (140D04) of the Department of the Interior’s Departmental Offices, where she facilitates the acquisition of specialized professional and technical services critical to federal land management and resource stewardship. Her work centers on securing expert support for real estate valuation, aviation logistics, scientific research, and systems design to sustain public trust assets and infrastructure integrity. She manages a diverse portfolio of contract actions under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, ensuring alignment with the agency’s strategic priorities in modernizing land management systems and enhancing operational efficiency through technical innovation. Lopez maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of niche service providers, including Phoenix Air Group, Inc., Papillon Airways Inc., Brainerd Helicopters, Inc., HMC Helicopter Service LLC, and Mathematica Inc. These partnerships reflect a reliance on specialized aviation, data analytics, and technical consulting firms capable of delivering mission-critical services in remote and challenging environments. Her contracting patterns emphasize performance-based outcomes, long-term service agreements, and vendor reliability over volume-based procurement, fostering trusted, repeat engagements with contractors possessing domain-specific expertise. Her procurement approach prioritizes open competition, with 88.9% of awards issued without set-asides, reflecting a preference for qualified large and mid-sized firms with proven technical capabilities. However, she maintains a steady 11.1% commitment to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a balanced approach that supports small business participation without compromising mission requirements. Lopez’s primary procurement focus spans five NAICS categories equally weighted at 16.7% each: 517312 (Telecommunications Resellers), 541519 (Other Computer-Related Services), 541611 (Management Consulting Services), 611430 (Professional Training), and 339113 (Surgical Appliance Manufacturing). This reflects a unique blend of technical, logistical, and administrative support needs, with particular emphasis on data systems, aviation logistics, and operational training services essential to federal land management operations.