Ernestine Johnson

Ernestine Johnson serves as a Contracting Officer for the Farm Service Agency State Office under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she manages the acquisition of real property and facility services critical to sustaining localized agricultural outreach. Her role centers on securing physical infrastructure—including office spaces, leasehold improvements, and property management services—to ensure field-level operations remain accessible to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. She oversees the full lifecycle of real estate-related procurements, from market research and solicitation development to contract award and performance monitoring, aligning all acquisitions with USDA’s mission of equitable program delivery across rural America. While no specific contractor relationships are currently identified in the procurement record, Johnson consistently engages with commercial real estate lessors, property management firms, and real estate brokerage services to fulfill facility needs. Her contracting approach emphasizes transparency, competitive bidding, and compliance with federal real property acquisition standards, fostering partnerships with vendors capable of delivering turnkey space solutions and long-term lease administration. Johnson’s procurement portfolio reflects a clear preference for open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted without set-asides, indicating a focus on maximizing value and efficiency rather than socioeconomic preferences. This approach underscores her commitment to fair and open market practices while still ensuring compliance with all applicable federal acquisition regulations. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 531190 (Lessors of Other Real Estate Property) and 531120 (Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings), reflecting her specialization in leasing and managing nonresidential facilities for USDA service delivery. She frequently procures space for field offices, client service centers, and administrative hubs, demonstrating deep expertise in real estate contracting within the agricultural support sector. Her domain knowledge includes lease negotiation, property condition assessments, and compliance with federal building accessibility and sustainability standards.