Jeffrey B. Gardner

Jeffrey B. Gardner serves as a Contract Specialist, Trainee within the Lolo National Forest, part of the U.S. Forest Service under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In this role, he supports the acquisition lifecycle for mission-critical land management services, including infrastructure maintenance, ecological restoration, and public safety initiatives. He assists in developing solicitation documents, evaluating proposals, and administering contracts aligned with the Forest Service’s priorities in trail and road maintenance, water system upkeep, and resource conservation. His work directly enables the agency’s operational resilience and compliance with federal procurement regulations, particularly under FAR Part 19 for small business set-asides. Gardner collaborates regularly with a core group of contractors including Quality Construction Co., YOY Inc., Century Warehousing, Inc., Oregon Woods, Inc., and the County of Kootenai. These partnerships reflect a mix of local and regional vendors specializing in construction, logistics, forestry support, and municipal services. His contracting patterns emphasize long-term vendor engagement, often re-engaging proven performers for recurring services such as forest road repair, debris removal, and equipment maintenance, fostering reliable supply chain continuity in remote operational environments. A strong advocate for socioeconomic inclusion, Gardner consistently supports Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, which account for over two-thirds of his assigned acquisitions. He also actively promotes Women-Owned Small Business participation, reflecting a deliberate strategy to expand economic opportunity within rural and forest-dependent communities. His contracting approach aligns with federal goals to increase small business access while ensuring competitive, transparent procurement practices. His procurement focus centers on NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), 561720 (Janitorial Services), and 334511 (Aeronautical Instrument Manufacturing), indicating a diverse portfolio spanning field operations support, facility maintenance, and specialized technical equipment. This reflects his growing expertise in procuring both traditional forestry services and niche industrial components essential to forest management operations.