Diana Pickel

Diana Pickel serves as a key procurement lead within the Indian Education Acquisition Office, supporting the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education in fulfilling its mission to advance culturally responsive education and holistic student development across tribal communities. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on educational infrastructure, behavioral health services, and technology solutions tailored to Native American students. Her work directly enables the agency’s strategic priorities by ensuring access to safe learning environments, specialized therapeutic services, and digital learning tools that align with tribal sovereignty and educational equity goals. Pickel maintains consistent contracting relationships with a mix of small businesses and specialized service providers, including RJS Construction Inc. for facility upgrades, Laura Edwards for educational support services, Lane Travel Inc. for student transportation logistics, Maguire Iron, Inc. for structural and safety-related infrastructure, and Tami Jollie-Trottier PhD PLLC for mental health and behavioral intervention programs. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor partnerships grounded in reliability, cultural competency, and compliance with federal acquisition regulations. She exhibits a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with nearly half of her acquisitions structured under the Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) set-aside program—a unique Department of the Interior designation that prioritizes Native-owned enterprises. An equal portion of contracts are awarded without set-asides, reflecting a balanced approach to competition, while the remaining awards utilize the standard Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5), demonstrating broad support for small business participation. Her technical focus centers on NAICS 513210 (Software Publishers), indicating significant investment in educational software and digital learning platforms, followed by NAICS 221210 (Natural Gas Distribution) for facility heating and energy infrastructure critical to remote tribal schools. She also procures services under NAICS 621330 and 621340, reflecting deep engagement with mental health and therapeutic support systems essential to student well-being.