Joni L. Laster

Joni L. Laster serves as a Purchasing Agent for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where she plays a critical role in acquiring specialized scientific instrumentation and measurement technologies essential to NIST’s mission of advancing industrial competitiveness and national security. Her procurement activities focus on high-precision analytical equipment, calibration standards, and laboratory systems that support cutting-edge research in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and physical sciences. Laster manages the full lifecycle of acquisitions—from market research and solicitation to contract award and administration—ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations while aligning purchases with NIST’s technical and strategic priorities. She maintains established relationships with key vendors including Quality Biological, Inc., ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND LABORATORIES (ATL) INTERNATIONAL, INC., and PHYSICAL ELECTRONICS USA, INC., all of which provide specialized laboratory instruments, calibration services, and analytical systems. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established suppliers with proven technical expertise in metrology and instrumentation, fostering long-term partnerships that ensure reliability, traceability, and compliance with NIST’s rigorous performance requirements. Laster’s set-aside preferences are predominantly non-set-aside, with 77.8% of awards issued under open competition. However, she consistently supports small business participation, allocating 21.7% of contracts to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, with minimal but intentional allocations to women-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, reflecting a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals without compromising technical integrity. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), followed by 334515 and 334513, indicating deep specialization in procuring precision instruments for measuring electrical signals, industrial process variables, and laboratory analytics. Laster’s expertise ensures NIST acquires mission-critical equipment that meets the highest standards of accuracy, repeatability, and scientific validity.