Gerri M. Laplander

Gerri Laplander serves as a Procurement Assistant within the USDA Forest Service, supporting the agency’s mission to sustain national forest and grassland ecosystems through strategic acquisition of critical services and infrastructure support. In this role, she facilitates the planning, solicitation, and administration of contracts essential to operational readiness, ecological restoration, and emergency response in remote terrains. Her responsibilities include coordinating with program managers, ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations, and executing acquisitions under the Federal Acquisition Regulation. She primarily handles service-based contracts tied to forestry support, facility maintenance, and emergency infrastructure needs, ensuring timely delivery of mission-critical resources. Laplander maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including ACI FEDERAL INC, ONE STOP RECRUITING LLC, GONDO ROY E MD, THE LOCUMS CO, LLC, and AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC. These partnerships reflect a focus on specialized forestry support services, workforce staffing, medical and technical consulting, and technology integration for field operations. Her procurement patterns demonstrate a preference for vendors with proven experience in federal land management environments, fostering long-term collaborations that align with the Forest Service’s operational tempo and geographic challenges. A strong advocate for socioeconomic diversity in contracting, Laplander consistently prioritizes small business participation, with nearly 70% of her acquisitions set aside for total small businesses under FAR 19.5. She also actively supports HUBZone-certified firms, reflecting a deliberate commitment to economic development in underserved rural communities where the Forest Service operates. Her contracting patterns align with federal goals to enhance equitable access to government opportunities while ensuring high-quality, mission-aligned service delivery. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), which accounts for over 60% of her portfolio, encompassing wildfire prevention, invasive species management, and forest health services. Additional areas include light construction and janitorial support for remote facilities, demonstrating expertise in procuring specialized, terrain-sensitive services critical to the agency’s field operations and public safety mandate.