Dewhyte G. McPherson

Dewhyte G. McPherson serves as a Contract Specialist within the 693JJ3 Acquisition and Grants Management unit of the Federal Highway Administration, where they play a pivotal role in executing procurements that advance the nation’s transportation infrastructure through research-driven solutions. McPherson manages the full lifecycle of complex acquisitions for engineering services, transportation research, and operational consulting, ensuring alignment with federal regulations and agency mission objectives. Their work directly supports data-informed decision-making in highway design, safety enhancement, and infrastructure resilience by securing technical expertise from qualified professional service providers. McPherson maintains enduring relationships with key contractors including K & M Transportation Services LLC and the University of California, Los Angeles, reflecting a balanced portfolio of commercial and academic partnerships. These collaborations typically involve performance-based contracts for applied research, systems analysis, and technical advisory services. McPherson fosters long-term vendor engagement through clear solicitation language, rigorous evaluation criteria, and consistent contract administration, ensuring accountability and innovation in deliverables. McPherson’s procurement strategy reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside classifications. This approach prioritizes technical merit and capability over socioeconomic categorizations, while still ensuring fair and transparent competition among all eligible vendors. Though small business set-asides are not utilized, McPherson maintains compliance with all federal small business participation requirements through unrestricted full and open competition. The primary NAICS categories under McPherson’s purview include 541715 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences), 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services), and 541330 (Engineering Services), indicating a deep specialization in transportation engineering, infrastructure modeling, and applied research. Procurements consistently target advanced analytical services, traffic simulation studies, pavement performance evaluations, and policy impact assessments, reinforcing the agency’s focus on evidence-based infrastructure investment.