Heather B Bakos

Heather B. Bakos serves as a Contracting Officer within the Contracting and Procurement office of the Transportation Security Administration under the Department of Homeland Security, where she plays a pivotal role in securing mission-critical capabilities to enhance national transportation security. She manages the full lifecycle of complex acquisitions for advanced detection systems, cybersecurity services, and operational support technologies, including explosive detection equipment, irradiation apparatus, and GPS-enabled rail monitoring solutions. Her work directly supports the agency’s strategic imperative to modernize aviation and transit infrastructure through innovative, high-integrity procurement practices that ensure timely delivery of secure, reliable systems. While no specific contractor relationships are currently identified in the data, Bakos routinely engages with a broad spectrum of vendors offering specialized technical solutions in software development, systems integration, and federal compliance services. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, risk mitigation, and adherence to FAR and TSA-specific acquisition protocols, fostering collaborative partnerships with firms capable of meeting stringent security and technical requirements. Bakos’s procurement portfolio reflects a 100% preference for non-set-aside acquisitions, indicating a focus on full and open competition rather than socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs. This pattern suggests an emphasis on technical capability and mission readiness over socioeconomic targeting, though she remains compliant with all statutory requirements for fair and transparent competition. Her primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 511210 (Software Publishers) and 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services), underscoring her expertise in acquiring custom software platforms, data analytics tools, and strategic advisory services essential to operational efficiency and cybersecurity resilience. She specializes in procuring solutions that integrate with federal security frameworks, demonstrating deep domain knowledge in aviation security technology and systems engineering support.