Joshua Houston

Joshua Houston supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office of Acquisition Services in managing complex procurement initiatives critical to public health infrastructure. He oversees the acquisition of scientific, technical, and operational services that enable disease surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, and data-driven public health response systems. His portfolio primarily includes contracts for pharmaceutical manufacturing, biomedical research, and health informatics solutions, ensuring the CDC has timely access to mission-critical capabilities. Houston works closely with scientific and technical teams to translate operational needs into compliant, performance-based solicitations under FAR and agency-specific acquisition guidelines. He maintains longstanding relationships with key vendors including General Dynamics Information Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Cepheid, MRIGLOBAL, and the New York City Health & Hospitals Corp., reflecting a preference for established providers with proven expertise in high-stakes public health environments. His contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, supply chain resilience, and regulatory compliance, particularly for products requiring FDA oversight or biosafety controls. Partnerships are typically structured as indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts or basic ordering agreements to support rapid deployment during public health emergencies. Houston’s procurement strategy reflects a strong emphasis on full and open competition, with 98.5% of awards issued without set-asides. While small business participation is minimal at 1.5%, it is strategically targeted to meet statutory requirements under FAR 19.5, primarily through total small business set-asides rather than specialized socioeconomic programs. His approach prioritizes mission readiness over socioeconomic quotas, aligning with CDC’s operational imperatives. His primary NAICS focus includes pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing (325412), computer systems design (541512), and life sciences R&D (541715), underscoring deep engagement with diagnostic reagents, laboratory automation, epidemiological data platforms, and clinical trial support services. His expertise lies at the intersection of public health science and federal acquisition, ensuring procurement actions directly enable CDC’s life-saving mission.