Geraldine M. Carrasco

Geraldine S. Carrasco serves as a Purchasing Agent for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests under the U.S. Forest Service, where she plays a critical role in executing mission-critical acquisitions that support sustainable land management and public safety across Arizona and New Mexico. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle of procurement—from needs assessment and solicitation development to contract award and administration—ensuring compliance with federal regulations and agency priorities. She routinely handles contracts for infrastructure maintenance, ecological restoration, and operational support services essential to wildfire mitigation, trail and road upkeep, and water resource protection. Carrasco maintains collaborative relationships with a diverse pool of vendors, including small businesses and specialized contractors in civil engineering, forestry support, and environmental services. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her procurement patterns reflect a preference for regional firms with demonstrated expertise in forested terrain operations and climate-resilient construction. She fosters long-term vendor partnerships grounded in performance accountability and regulatory adherence, ensuring timely delivery of goods and services under dynamic field conditions. A strong advocate for socioeconomic equity in federal contracting, Carrasco consistently prioritizes small business participation, with 66.7% of her acquisitions designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate effort to empower local and disadvantaged businesses, aligning with USDA and Forest Service goals to expand economic opportunity in rural communities. She actively leverages small business programs to enhance competition and build capacity among underserved vendors. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS codes including 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction), and 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction), reflecting her specialization in field infrastructure and ecological services. She also procures janitorial services (561720) and construction materials (423390), demonstrating a broad operational scope that supports both frontline field operations and facility maintenance across remote forest locations.