Emelda Long

Emelda Long serves as a Contract Specialist within the W6QK Acc-pica organization under the Department of the Army, where she plays a pivotal role in executing defense acquisition strategies that sustain military readiness. She manages the full lifecycle of complex contracts for critical defense manufacturing, facility services, and operational support systems, ensuring alignment with DoD procurement regulations and strategic modernization goals. Her portfolio emphasizes the procurement of logistics-enabling technologies, munitions supply chain infrastructure, and installation maintenance services, directly supporting combat system sustainment and force projection capabilities. Long maintains consistent working relationships with key defense contractors including NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION, GENERAL DYNAMICS OTS (WILKES BARRE), LLC, and THE LOCKWOOD GROUP LLC, among others. These partnerships span high-value, mission-critical services such as defense systems integration, facility construction, and technical support operations. Her contracting approach reflects a balance between large prime contractors and qualified small business partners, fostering reliable, performance-based vendor relationships grounded in FAR compliance and risk-managed acquisition practices. A strong advocate for socioeconomic inclusion, Long prioritizes small business participation, with approximately half of her acquisitions structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. She also actively utilizes 8(a) competed set-asides, demonstrating a deliberate strategy to expand opportunities for disadvantaged businesses while maintaining competitive integrity. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate effort to diversify the vendor base and strengthen the defense industrial base through inclusive procurement. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) and 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services), supporting digital modernization and IT infrastructure for military installations. She also routinely procures commercial and institutional construction services (236220) and facility support functions, including landscaping and lodging services (721110), ensuring comprehensive base readiness and quality-of-life support for service members.