Denise Farris

Denise W. Farris serves as a key procurement professional within the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (HDTRA1), supporting the agency’s mission to counter weapons of mass destruction through strategic acquisition of advanced scientific and technical capabilities. She manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on research and development, engineering services, and specialized sensing systems critical to detecting and neutralizing chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive threats. Her work directly enables HDTRA1’s operational readiness by ensuring timely access to cutting-edge technologies and analytical tools required for national security defense. Farris maintains strong, recurring relationships with leading technical contractors including TECHTRANS INTERNATIONAL INC, BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE, AERIS LLC, APPLIED RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC., and AMAZON WEB SERVICES, INC. These partnerships reflect a preference for established firms with proven expertise in defense science, systems integration, and cloud-based threat analytics. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term collaboration with vendors capable of delivering high-complexity, mission-critical solutions under stringent security and compliance standards. Her procurement strategy prioritizes open competition, with 85% of awards issued without set-asides, reflecting the technical sophistication and limited vendor base required for HDTRA1’s mission. However, she consistently allocates 15% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a balanced commitment to fostering innovation from small businesses while maintaining mission-critical performance standards. Farris’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS codes 541712 (R&D in physical and engineering sciences), 541330 (engineering services), 334519 (specialized measuring and controlling devices), and 511210 (software publishing), underscoring her expertise in acquiring advanced detection systems, forensic analysis tools, and secure computing platforms. Her portfolio reflects deep technical alignment with defense science domains including threat modeling, sensor development, and secure data infrastructure.