Heather Ricks

Heather Ricks serves as a primary contracting professional within the FA5702 379 Econs, a critical unit of the Department of the Air Force responsible for sustaining expeditionary air base operations. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on facility sustainment, equipment maintenance, and logistical enablers essential to operational readiness at overseas and forward-deployed installations. Her work ensures the continuous functionality of airfield infrastructure and mission-critical support systems through the execution of full lifecycle procurement processes, including solicitation, evaluation, award, and contract administration for both service and equipment-based requirements. While specific contractor names are not available, Heather consistently engages with a broad spectrum of vendors specializing in industrial equipment, facilities support, and health-related services. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established small business partners, fostering long-term vendor relationships grounded in compliance, performance, and socioeconomic accountability. She works closely with firms capable of delivering rapid-response maintenance, technical support, and integrated facility services under time-sensitive operational constraints. Heather demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with 75% of her acquisitions designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. Her procurement strategy prioritizes inclusive socioeconomic programs, regularly awarding contracts to small disadvantaged businesses, HUBZone firms, and other eligible small entities to meet statutory goals and enhance supply chain resilience. Her primary NAICS focus areas include 333924 for industrial material handling equipment, 561210 for facility support services, and 621999 and 622110 for specialized ambulatory and hospital care services—reflecting a unique blend of infrastructure and medical support needs at expeditionary sites. This technical domain expertise enables her to effectively manage complex procurements requiring both mechanical reliability and clinical compliance in austere environments.