Dr. G. Ra�Shadd, Small Business Coordinator

Dr. G. Ra’Shadd serves as the Small Business Coordinator for the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, playing a pivotal role in advancing equitable access to procurement opportunities for small and underserved businesses. In this capacity, Dr. Ra’Shadd supports the agency’s mission to strengthen the integrity and efficiency of federal nutrition assistance programs by ensuring that contracting practices align with socioeconomic goals and operational needs. They facilitate the integration of small business capabilities into FNS’s acquisition strategy, advising on solicitation design, vendor outreach, and compliance with small business regulations across SNAP, WIC, and the National School Lunch Program. While no specific contractor relationships are currently identified in the procurement record, Dr. Ra’Shadd actively cultivates partnerships with a diverse range of vendors, including small businesses offering nutrition education services, data analytics platforms, program administration tools, and supply chain logistics solutions. Their approach emphasizes collaborative engagement, early vendor outreach, and capacity-building initiatives to enhance small business readiness for federal contracts. Dr. Ra’Shadd demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with all recent acquisitions classified as “No Set-Aside,” reflecting a strategic focus on open competition while still prioritizing small business inclusion through targeted outreach and mentorship programs. Their work ensures that small businesses—particularly those owned by women, minorities, and veterans—are aware of and prepared to compete for FNS opportunities, even in unrestricted solicitations. The agency’s procurement activity centers on services related to program administration, data management, nutrition outreach, and operational modernization. Primary NAICS categories include 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services), 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), and 624190 (Other Social Assistance), reflecting expertise in policy implementation, behavioral health support, and community-based nutrition programming. Dr. Ra’Shadd’s technical domain knowledge spans federal nutrition policy, program evaluation frameworks, and digital service delivery systems.