Helen E Tidwell-Zaldana

Helen E. Tidwell-Zaldana serves as a Contracting Officer responsible for managing complex acquisitions in support of federal training and professional services initiatives. She plays a pivotal role in ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) while advancing mission-critical procurement objectives through transparent, competitive processes. Her portfolio primarily encompasses service-based contracts requiring specialized expertise in management consulting, custom software development, and organizational training solutions. She exercises full contracting authority from solicitation through award and administration, ensuring alignment with agency goals and regulatory requirements. While specific contractor names are not available, her procurement patterns reflect a broad engagement with vendors capable of delivering high-quality professional services across technical and administrative domains. She maintains a vendor ecosystem composed of both large industry providers and small businesses, fostering competitive bidding environments that emphasize performance, innovation, and compliance. Her working relationships are characterized by a focus on long-term contractor performance, rigorous source selection, and post-award oversight to ensure deliverables meet stated objectives. Helen demonstrates a strong preference for open competition, with 91.2% of her awards issued without set-asides. Nevertheless, she actively supports small business participation, with approximately 5.9% of awards designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5 and 2.9% awarded to Women-Owned Small Businesses. Her approach reflects a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals without compromising competition or mission readiness. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 611430 (Professional and Management Development Training), 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services), and 541611 (Administrative Management Consulting Services), indicating deep expertise in workforce development, software customization, and organizational efficiency initiatives. She routinely procures training curricula, software solutions, and strategic advisory services that enhance federal workforce capabilities and operational effectiveness.