Jeff Klas

Jeff Klas serves as Regional Architect for the U.S. Forest Service’s Region 3 Southwestern Regional Office, where he leads the planning, design, and procurement of civil infrastructure projects critical to public land stewardship. In this role, he oversees the acquisition of commercial and institutional building construction services to support trail systems, visitor facilities, water and sewer infrastructure, and forest service buildings across the Southwest. His procurement activities are aligned with the agency’s mission to ensure resilient, sustainable, and environmentally compliant facilities, requiring close coordination with engineers, environmental specialists, and field operations teams to translate technical requirements into actionable contract statements of work. Klas maintains a consistent working relationship with GERMRIP LLC, a primary contractor engaged across multiple project cycles for facility construction and rehabilitation. His procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, with a preference for contractors demonstrating proven experience in federal forest infrastructure projects, adherence to USDA environmental standards, and ability to operate in remote, ecologically sensitive terrains. These partnerships are characterized by iterative design-build workflows and performance-based contract management to ensure compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. A defining feature of Klas’s contracting strategy is his exclusive use of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-asides, reflecting a firm commitment to socioeconomic equity and veteran economic empowerment. All construction procurements under his purview are structured to prioritize SDVOSB eligibility, ensuring that contracting opportunities directly support veteran-owned enterprises with demonstrated capability in federal construction environments. His technical focus is centered on NAICS 236220—Commercial and Institutional Building Construction—encompassing new construction, renovations, and infrastructure upgrades to ranger stations, visitor centers, maintenance facilities, and associated utilities. Klas brings deep expertise in interpreting federal construction codes, managing design-build delivery models, and integrating sustainable building practices into Forest Service infrastructure programs.