Gerardo Paez

Gerardo Paez serves as a key procurement lead within the George Washington/Jefferson National Forest, supporting the U.S. Forest Service’s mission to sustainably manage and restore critical forest ecosystems across the Appalachian region. He oversees the acquisition of goods and services essential to ecological restoration, trail and campground infrastructure maintenance, watershed protection, and wildfire mitigation efforts. His procurement portfolio centers on land management operations, with a strong emphasis on contract vehicles that enable timely execution of field-based ecological services and wood product supply chains. Paez ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning purchasing decisions with the agency’s long-term conservation and public access goals. Paez collaborates closely with a network of specialized contractors, primarily small businesses with expertise in silviculture, native plant propagation, and low-impact forestry operations. His working relationships are characterized by sustained partnerships with local and regional vendors capable of delivering site-specific, ecologically sensitive solutions. He prioritizes vendors with proven experience in forest restoration techniques, including erosion control, prescribed burning support, and native species planting, fostering long-term vendor capacity through consistent engagement and performance-based contracting. Paez maintains a 100% small business set-aside preference across all acquisitions, fully aligning with FAR 19.5 guidelines. His contracting patterns consistently channel opportunities to small businesses, including those certified under HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) programs. This unwavering commitment ensures that economic benefits from federal forest investments directly support rural and underserved communities within the National Forest’s operational footprint. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 115112 (Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating) and 321999 (All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing), reflecting deep expertise in ecological restoration services and non-commercial wood product fabrication. He routinely acquires native tree seedlings, erosion control mats, mulch, and custom-fabricated trail structures, demonstrating specialized knowledge in sustainable forestry inputs and habitat enhancement technologies.