Joshua Bird

Joshua A. Bird serves as a Contract Specialist at the Federal Correctional Institution at Otisville (15B211), part of the Federal Bureau of Prisons under the Department of Justice. In this role, he manages the acquisition of subsistence and food services critical to maintaining compliant, humane, and nutritionally adequate diets for incarcerated populations. His responsibilities include soliciting, evaluating, and awarding contracts for perishable and prepared food products that align with federal dietary standards, religious observances, and health regulations. He routinely handles requirements under FAR Part 12 for commercial items and FAR Part 8 for GSA schedules, ensuring procurement actions support operational continuity and institutional mission integrity. While specific contractor names are not publicly available, Bird consistently engages with a diverse pool of food manufacturers, distributors, and specialty suppliers capable of meeting strict federal food safety and cultural accommodation standards. His procurement approach emphasizes reliability, scalability, and adherence to USDA and FDA guidelines, fostering long-term vendor partnerships with firms experienced in high-volume, low-margin food production and just-in-time delivery logistics for secure environments. Bird demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with 58.5% of his acquisitions designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. His contracting patterns reflect a deliberate emphasis on socioeconomic programs, regularly awarding contracts to small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, and other eligible entities capable of fulfilling specialized food service needs. His primary industry focus centers on NAICS 311999 (All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing) and 311991 (Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing), with significant activity in commercial baking (311812) and dairy production (112120). He specializes in procuring culturally appropriate, religiously compliant, and shelf-stable food items, demonstrating deep technical expertise in food safety compliance, allergen control, and institutional supply chain management within correctional settings.