Jay Shockey

Jay Shockey serves as a key procurement professional within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, Seafood and Renewable Resources Research Center (SEA-SRRC), where he supports the acquisition of specialized scientific services essential to advancing agricultural research. His responsibilities center on securing high-precision analytical instrumentation, laboratory maintenance, and technical support services that sustain the agency’s mission-critical research platforms. Shockey manages the full lifecycle of procurements under NAICS 541990, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning acquisitions with the center’s strategic priorities in food safety, aquaculture systems, and biotechnological innovation. He works closely with scientific staff to translate technical requirements into solicitation language and evaluates vendor capabilities for scientific rigor and operational reliability. Shockey’s contractor relationships are primarily with professional, scientific, and technical service providers specializing in laboratory instrumentation calibration, analytical chemistry support, and research infrastructure maintenance. He engages with a broad spectrum of vendors, including niche firms with expertise in marine and agricultural research environments, as well as established scientific services contractors. His procurement approach emphasizes technical qualification over volume, fostering long-term partnerships with vendors who demonstrate deep domain knowledge and proven performance in federally funded research settings. Shockey’s contracting activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of acquisitions classified as “No Set-Aside.” This indicates a focus on technical merit and capability rather than socioeconomic preferences, aligning with the highly specialized nature of the services required. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, vendors must still meet stringent technical criteria to be considered. The agency’s procurement activity is exclusively focused on NAICS 541990, encompassing a wide array of professional scientific services including analytical testing, equipment calibration, research consulting, and laboratory operations support. Shockey’s expertise lies in procuring services that enable cutting-edge research in food science, aquatic biology, and sustainable agricultural systems, ensuring that the SEA-SRRC maintains world-class research capabilities through precise, mission-aligned acquisitions.