Julie A. Whitaker

Julie A. Whitaker serves as a Contracting Officer within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where she manages a diverse portfolio of professional, scientific, and technical acquisitions aligned with NOAA’s mission to advance environmental science and maritime safety. She oversees the full lifecycle of contracts supporting oceanographic research, atmospheric modeling, coastal infrastructure assessment, and data collection systems, ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations and mission-critical operational needs. Her work directly enables NOAA’s capacity to deliver accurate weather forecasts, protect marine ecosystems, and enhance climate resilience through evidence-based decision-making. Whitaker maintains consistent working relationships with a range of specialized vendors, including the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, Tronconi Segarra & Associates LLP, JNB Services LLC, Pure Enviro-Management, LLC, and The Regents of the University of Colorado. These partnerships reflect a blend of academic institutions, niche consulting firms, and environmental service providers, indicating a preference for organizations with deep technical expertise in scientific services and field operations. Her contracting patterns emphasize long-term, performance-based engagements that require specialized knowledge in environmental data systems and analytical support. Her procurement strategy prioritizes small business participation, with 36.7% of her awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, and an additional 1.7% designated for women-owned small businesses. While the majority of her acquisitions are open to full and open competition, her consistent use of small business set-asides demonstrates a deliberate commitment to expanding economic opportunity within the environmental science and technical services sectors. Whitaker’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services) and 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), reflecting her specialization in environmental consulting, data analysis, and laboratory testing services. She also procures inland water freight transportation and communications equipment, supporting field operations and sensor deployment across NOAA’s coastal and marine domains. Her technical expertise centers on acquiring services that enhance observational networks, modeling capabilities, and ecosystem monitoring systems.