Gladys M Wilks

Gladys M. Wilks serves as a key procurement professional within the Contracting and Procurement office of the Transportation Security Administration under the Department of Homeland Security, where she supports the acquisition of mission-critical security technologies and operational services. Her work directly enables the agency’s mandate to strengthen aviation and transit security through the procurement of advanced detection systems, cybersecurity solutions, and infrastructure-enabling services. She manages a diverse portfolio of contracts spanning technical services, facility support, and security operations, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and alignment with national security priorities. Wilks cultivates strategic relationships with a broad spectrum of vendors, including IT service providers, cybersecurity contractors, and security operations firms. Her contracting patterns reflect collaboration with both large-capacity contractors and small business concerns, fostering a competitive environment that prioritizes innovation and reliability. She engages with vendors offering specialized capabilities in data infrastructure, background investigation services, and physical security support, ensuring that procurement outcomes meet stringent federal security standards. Her procurement strategy demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic programs, with nearly half of her awards directed toward small business set-asides, including 19.1% allocated to Total Small Business Set-Asides and 14.3% to 8(a) competed contracts. HUBZone and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business set-asides are also consistently leveraged, reflecting a deliberate effort to expand opportunities for underserved communities while maintaining high performance standards. Wilks’ primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 541513 (Computer Facilities Management Services) and 518210 (Computing Infrastructure Providers), reflecting her expertise in securing IT operations and data hosting services critical to secure transportation networks. She also regularly procures security guard services (561612) and background investigation services (561611), demonstrating deep technical knowledge in both cybersecurity and physical security domains. Her work ensures that DHS’s transportation security infrastructure remains resilient, adaptive, and technologically current.