Elizabeth (Liz) McDannell

Elizabeth (Liz) McDannell serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, from requirements definition and market research through solicitation, evaluation, award, and contract administration. She plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations, including the FAR and agency-specific policies, while delivering mission-critical services aligned with organizational objectives. Her portfolio primarily consists of information technology and software development contracts, with a strong emphasis on procurement efficiency, risk mitigation, and stakeholder collaboration across internal teams and external vendors. Liz cultivates collaborative relationships with a diverse range of contractors, particularly those specializing in software publishing, content delivery, and digital media solutions. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages with firms possessing proven technical capabilities in content management systems, data-driven publishing platforms, and digital infrastructure services. Her working style emphasizes transparency, competitive bidding, and performance-based contract management to ensure value and accountability throughout the acquisition lifecycle. Liz’s contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under non-set-aside authorities. She does not routinely utilize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, instead prioritizing merit-based selection grounded in technical merit, past performance, and cost realism. This approach underscores her commitment to fairness and market-wide competition, ensuring the best possible outcomes through broad vendor participation. Her primary procurement focus is on NAICS Code 511210—Software Publishers—encompassing the acquisition of custom and commercial off-the-shelf software, digital content platforms, and related data management services. Liz brings deep expertise in evaluating technical specifications for software licensing, cloud-based delivery models, and interoperability standards, making her a key resource for agencies seeking to modernize digital workflows and information systems through targeted software acquisitions.