Donna M Hardy

Donna M. Hardy supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service in advancing the agency’s mission to protect public health through science-based procurement of critical laboratory and analytical capabilities. As a key member of the Office of Acquisition and Supply Chain Management, she manages acquisitions for advanced diagnostic instrumentation, in-vitro testing reagents, and data analytics systems used in the real-time detection of biological and chemical hazards in meat, poultry, and egg products. Her work ensures that FSIS maintains cutting-edge surveillance capacity through timely, compliant, and technically sound contracting actions aligned with federal procurement regulations. Hardy engages with a diverse range of vendors specializing in analytical services, diagnostic manufacturing, and custom software solutions. She routinely collaborates with professional scientific service providers, laboratory equipment suppliers, and technology integrators who deliver validated, regulatory-compliant solutions. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical specificity, performance-based requirements, and vendor accountability to ensure that acquired systems meet the stringent standards required for federal food safety inspection. Her procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 82.6% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions, while maintaining a consistent 17.4% allocation to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This balance underscores her commitment to fostering competition while enabling small businesses to contribute meaningfully to national food safety infrastructure. Hardy’s primary focus lies in NAICS 541380 (Testing Laboratories and Services) and 541990 (Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), with significant activity in 325413 (In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing). She specializes in procuring analytical reagents, automated pathogen detection platforms, and data-driven surveillance tools that support FSIS’s science-led inspection regime, ensuring the agency remains at the forefront of food safety innovation.