Juanita (Nita) S Steinmetz

Juanita (Nita) S. Steinmetz serves as a Contracting Officer responsible for managing complex acquisitions across a diverse range of industrial and technical domains. She plays a critical role in executing the agency’s procurement mission by ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations, fostering competitive bidding environments, and delivering mission-critical goods and services through transparent, well-documented contract actions. Her portfolio typically includes construction, manufacturing, and specialized industrial services, requiring deep familiarity with FAR Part 19 small business programs and technical evaluation methodologies. Steinmetz cultivates relationships with a broad spectrum of vendors, including small businesses, HUBZone-certified firms, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, consistently prioritizing socioeconomic goals in her award decisions. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she maintains a pattern of engaging qualified small and mid-sized enterprises capable of meeting stringent performance and compliance standards. Her contracting approach emphasizes fairness, accountability, and long-term vendor development, encouraging new entrants into federal markets through clear solicitation language and accessible pre-solicitation outreach. A strong advocate for small business participation, Steinmetz exhibits a pronounced preference for set-asides, with over 60% of her acquisitions reserved for small businesses under FAR 19.5. HUBZone set-asides represent the largest socioeconomic category, followed by Total Small Business Set-Asides and SDVOSB programs, reflecting her strategic alignment with federal goals to promote economic opportunity in underserved communities. Her consistent use of these authorities demonstrates a deliberate commitment to expanding market access for disadvantaged entrepreneurs. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 236210 (Industrial Building Construction) and 334515 (Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals), with additional emphasis on 561730 (Landscaping Services), 325120 (Industrial Gas Manufacturing), and 424720 (Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers). This technical diversity underscores her expertise in managing both infrastructure and specialized industrial supply chain requirements, requiring nuanced understanding of performance specifications, quality control standards, and logistics coordination.