Jennifer Smith

Jennifer Smith serves as a key procurement lead within the Contracts and Acquisitions Management unit of the U.S. Department of Education, where she oversees the strategic acquisition of professional services critical to advancing federal education policy and data infrastructure. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of contracts for information services, software development, public relations, and educational support, ensuring alignment with statutory compliance, evidence-based outcomes, and modernization goals for student aid systems. She specializes in non-construction, service-based procurements that enhance institutional capacity and regulatory reporting capabilities across postsecondary education. Smith maintains a consistent working relationship with LPE-STRATEGIES LLC, a primary contractor providing specialized information services and analytical support. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term, performance-based partnerships with vendors capable of delivering scalable digital solutions and policy-aligned communications. She engages primarily with firms that demonstrate technical expertise in education data systems, digital platform development, and compliance-driven reporting tools, fostering collaborative relationships grounded in deliverables rather than transactional exchanges. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside provisions. This indicates a deliberate focus on selecting the most qualified providers based on technical merit and past performance, rather than socioeconomic categorizations. While she does not prioritize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, her process remains transparent and competitive, ensuring value-driven outcomes aligned with federal procurement best practices. Smith’s portfolio is concentrated in NAICS 519290 (Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services), 513210 (Software Publishers), 541820 (Public Relations Agencies), and 611710 (Educational Support Services). She procures custom software platforms, data analytics tools, public outreach campaigns, and technical assistance services that directly support federal student aid operations, institutional reporting, and educational research initiatives, demonstrating deep domain expertise in the intersection of education policy and digital infrastructure.