Gwendolyn Riffle

Gwendolyn Riffle serves as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for the Cibola National Forest under the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. In this role, she provides critical oversight of field-level contracts that support operational readiness, infrastructure resilience, and environmental stewardship across federal forest lands. Her responsibilities include monitoring contractor performance, ensuring compliance with federal regulations, and verifying deliverables related to public safety and resource management. Riffle primarily manages construction and civil infrastructure acquisitions essential to maintaining forest roads, trail systems, and wildfire mitigation infrastructure, aligning procurement activities with the agency’s mission to sustain ecological health and public access. Riffle maintains consistent working relationships with RELIANCE CONTRACTORS INC and ALERTWEST, INC, both of which deliver specialized civil construction services under long-term task order agreements. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, with close collaboration on safety protocols, environmental compliance, and schedule adherence. These vendor partnerships are characterized by high levels of technical coordination and field-level responsiveness, reflecting a reliance on contractors with proven expertise in remote, ecologically sensitive environments. Riffle demonstrates a steadfast commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with 100% of her acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. All contracts are reserved exclusively for small business concerns, ensuring maximum participation by firms eligible under the Small Business Administration’s programs, including HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and Woman-Owned Small Businesses. Her procurement patterns reflect a deliberate strategy to empower local and regional small businesses while advancing agency objectives. Her primary technical focus is on NAICS 237310—Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction—encompassing road maintenance, erosion control, culvert installation, and trail rehabilitation. Riffle’s expertise lies in procuring heavy civil construction services tailored to rugged, federally managed landscapes, requiring deep familiarity with environmental regulations, right-of-way management, and sustainable infrastructure practices.