Heather Houtz

Heather Houtz serves as a Contracting Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, from requirements definition through contract award and administration. She plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with FAR regulations while advancing mission-critical procurement objectives. Her portfolio primarily encompasses information technology services, research and development support, and technology infrastructure procurement, with a strong emphasis on delivering cost-effective, scalable solutions aligned with federal operational needs. She works closely with program managers, technical evaluators, and legal advisors to structure solicitations that balance innovation, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance. While specific contractor names are not available, Heather maintains a broad network of vendors across the IT services and technology distribution sectors. Her contracting patterns reflect engagement with both large prime contractors and small business subcontractors, fostering competitive bidding environments that encourage market participation. She prioritizes transparent solicitation processes and consistently applies evaluation criteria that emphasize technical merit, past performance, and cost realism, promoting fair and open competition. Heather demonstrates a pronounced preference for unrestricted competitions, with 74.1% of her acquisitions issued as non-set-aside. However, she actively supports small business participation, allocating 25.9% of her awards to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. Her approach reflects a balanced commitment to maximizing competition while ensuring meaningful opportunities for small businesses, though she does not routinely utilize specialized socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB. Her primary NAICS focus areas include Other Computer Related Services (541519), Computer and Peripheral Equipment Wholesalers (423430), and Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (541715). She routinely procures IT consulting, software integration, systems engineering, and technology distribution services, indicating deep expertise in digital infrastructure, data systems, and applied research support. Her technical domain knowledge spans enterprise IT modernization and science and engineering technology procurement.