Gary S. Baber

Gary S. Baber serves as a Contracting Officer for the USDA Forest Service – SPoC East, where he manages the acquisition of critical infrastructure and operational support services essential to maintaining federal forest lands. His portfolio encompasses construction, environmental management, and facility modernization projects, including the rehabilitation of job corps centers, food service operations, and water systems. Baber plays a pivotal role in aligning procurement activities with the agency’s mission to enhance ecosystem resilience and public access through strategic contracting under FAR Part 36 and related authorities. He routinely handles complex, high-stakes procurements requiring technical oversight and compliance with environmental regulations, ensuring acquisitions support both operational readiness and sustainability goals. Baber maintains collaborative relationships with a diverse range of contractors specializing in civil engineering, forestry support, and surveying services. While no single vendor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages firms with demonstrated expertise in heavy civil construction and forest land management. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, requiring contractors to meet stringent quality, safety, and environmental standards. He fosters long-term partnerships with vendors capable of delivering multi-year, mission-critical services under indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) and fixed-price contract vehicles. Baber demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with nearly 33% of his awards directed toward small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, including a notable 8.9% allocation to HUBZone firms. His procurement patterns reflect a deliberate effort to expand opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses while maintaining competition and value. He actively leverages the HUBZone program and supports total small business set-asides, aligning with federal mandates to promote equitable access to government contracting. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction) and 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), reflecting his specialization in road and bridge rehabilitation, forest access infrastructure, and ecological restoration services. He also routinely procures surveying and mapping services (541370) and commercial building construction (236220), demonstrating broad technical fluency across land management and public works domains. Baber’s expertise ensures that acquisitions directly advance the Forest Service’s mission of sustainable stewardship and infrastructure modernization.