Jeromena F. Beartusk

Jeromena F. Beartusk serves as a Contract Specialist at Federal Correctional Institution La Tuna, operating under the Bureau of Prisons within the Department of Justice. In this role, she manages the full lifecycle of food service acquisitions, ensuring compliance with federal nutritional standards and dietary accommodations for incarcerated populations. Her responsibilities include soliciting, evaluating, and awarding contracts for staple foodstuffs, specialized dietary products, and meal preparation supplies, all aligned with the agency’s mission to deliver safe, secure, and culturally appropriate nutrition. She routinely handles simplified acquisitions, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts, and blanket purchase agreements under FAR Part 13 and Part 17, emphasizing reliability, continuity, and regulatory adherence. Beartusk maintains consistent working relationships with a network of merchant wholesalers and specialized food manufacturers, particularly those capable of meeting strict federal food safety and labeling requirements. While specific contractor names are not disclosed, her procurement patterns reflect long-term vendor partnerships with firms experienced in bulk food distribution, religious dietary compliance, and shelf-stable product supply chains. She prioritizes vendors with proven capacity for just-in-time delivery, cold chain logistics, and adherence to USDA and FDA standards, fostering stable, performance-based contractor relationships. A strong advocate for socioeconomic equity, Beartusk consistently applies Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, with 76.7% of her acquisitions reserved for small businesses. Her contracting strategy reflects a deliberate emphasis on inclusive procurement, favoring general small business participation over specific programs like 8(a) or HUBZone, though she remains responsive to all eligible socioeconomic categories. This pattern underscores her commitment to expanding economic opportunity within the food supply chain while maintaining operational integrity. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 424410 (General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers) and 424470 (Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers), reflecting a deep specialization in bulk food distribution. She also regularly procures from commercial bakeries (311812) and miscellaneous food manufacturers (311999), demonstrating technical expertise in shelf-stable, refrigerated, and allergen-controlled food systems essential for institutional feeding operations.