Howard Stover

Howard Stover serves as a key procurement lead within the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center’s Acquisition Division, supporting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s mission to advance land conservation and soil health through strategic acquisitions. He manages a diverse portfolio of technical and professional services contracts that enable field-level conservation planning, easement restoration, and data-driven agricultural decision-making. His acquisitions typically focus on engineering support, environmental consulting, and operational services critical to rural resource management, ensuring compliance with federal land stewardship objectives and regulatory frameworks. Stover maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors, including PROJECTELLA LLC, HOMESTEAD SERVICES, LLC, and JANIE B LLC, which provide specialized services in conservation implementation, land management support, and technical field operations. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with demonstrated expertise in agricultural conservation practices and on-the-ground execution capabilities. His contracting approach emphasizes reliability, domain-specific knowledge, and alignment with USDA’s environmental stewardship goals, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in performance and compliance. Stover demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with 95.2% of his awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. His procurement patterns consistently prioritize small businesses, including those certified under HUBZone, SDB, and other small business programs, reinforcing the agency’s mandate to expand economic opportunity in rural communities. This focus ensures that local and specialized service providers play a central role in delivering critical conservation services. His primary procurement focus centers on NAICS codes 541191 (title abstract and settlement services for land transactions), 115112 (soil preparation and planting services), and 541990 (other professional technical services), reflecting deep expertise in land use documentation, conservation farming practices, and specialized environmental consulting. He also procures janitorial and equipment-related services to support field operations, underscoring a holistic approach to sustaining agricultural infrastructure.