Hector R. Santamaria

Hector R. Santamaria serves as a Contract Specialist within the 693JJ3 Acquisition and Grants Management unit of the Federal Highway Administration, where he plays a pivotal role in executing procurements that advance the nation’s transportation infrastructure through research, engineering, and technical consulting services. He manages the full lifecycle of contract actions—from market research and solicitation development to award and administration—ensuring compliance with FAR regulations and alignment with the agency’s mission to support data-driven, innovation-led highway system improvements. His portfolio primarily consists of professional services contracts for transportation research, operational analysis, and engineering consulting, emphasizing technical rigor and performance-based outcomes. Hector maintains strategic relationships with key contractors including K & M Transportation Services LLC and the University of California, Los Angeles, reflecting a balanced approach to partnering with both private-sector consultants and academic institutions. His contracting patterns demonstrate a preference for long-term, performance-based engagements that leverage subject-matter expertise in transportation systems, safety analysis, and infrastructure resilience. These partnerships are typically structured as task-order contracts under indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) vehicles, enabling agile responses to evolving research and operational needs. His set-aside preferences reflect a strong orientation toward open competition, with 96.2% of awards issued without socioeconomic set-asides. While small business participation is limited to approximately 3.9%, it is primarily channeled through Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, indicating a deliberate but selective approach to socioeconomic contracting that prioritizes technical capability and mission alignment. Hector’s procurement focus centers on NAICS codes 541110 (legal services), 541715 (physical and engineering research), 541690 (scientific and technical consulting), and 541611 (management consulting), underscoring his expertise in acquiring high-level analytical, regulatory, and engineering support services. His work directly enables the FHWA’s technical decision-making through the procurement of specialized studies, laboratory testing, and systems optimization services critical to modernizing the nation’s highway infrastructure.