Heather Mccollister

Heather B. McCollister serves as a key procurement professional within the U.S. Forest Service’s Region 5 Pacific Southwest Region, supporting the agency’s mission to sustain the health and resilience of national forests and grasslands. She manages a diverse portfolio of construction and facility-related acquisitions, ensuring compliance with federal contracting regulations while advancing ecological restoration and infrastructure modernization goals. Her work directly enables critical projects involving recreational facilities, utility systems, and institutional buildings on public lands, aligning procurement outcomes with the agency’s strategic priorities in wildfire resilience and habitat preservation. While specific contractor names are not available, McCollister maintains consistent relationships with firms specializing in commercial and institutional construction, as well as nonresidential property lessors. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established vendors with proven experience in federal land management environments, particularly those capable of executing complex, environmentally sensitive projects under stringent regulatory frameworks. She fosters collaborative partnerships with contractors who demonstrate technical proficiency in sustainable building practices and infrastructure maintenance on protected lands. McCollister’s procurement strategy prioritizes broad market competition, with 85.7% of acquisitions conducted as open, non-set-aside procurements. However, she actively supports small business participation, allocating 14.3% of contracts as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a balanced approach that ensures competitive pricing while creating meaningful opportunities for small businesses to contribute to public land stewardship. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction) and 531120 (Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings), indicating deep expertise in the design, construction, and leasing of facilities supporting public access, ranger operations, and ecological monitoring. She specializes in acquiring infrastructure that enhances visitor safety, supports resource management, and integrates with natural landscapes—demonstrating a nuanced understanding of federal land use constraints and environmental compliance requirements.