Kara D. Lowther

Kara D. Lowther serves as a key procurement lead within the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s Glynco Procurement Office, where she manages mission-critical acquisitions that support the training, readiness, and operational infrastructure of federal law enforcement personnel. Her responsibilities encompass the strategic sourcing of specialized equipment, facility upgrades, and technical support services essential to modernizing law enforcement training environments. She routinely handles complex procurements under FAR Part 13 and Part 15, with a focus on securing durable, high-performance assets that meet stringent federal safety and security standards for live-fire ranges, tactical simulators, and secure communications systems. Lowther maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of contractors including Diversified Fabricators & Erectors, Inc., Range Cleaners Inc., and Contender Boats Inc., reflecting a pattern of collaboration with niche vendors capable of delivering custom-engineered solutions for law enforcement training infrastructure. Her procurement approach emphasizes reliability, compliance, and long-term operational support, often engaging vendors with proven expertise in ballistic containment systems, range maintenance, and marine-based tactical training platforms. Her contracting portfolio demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with over 65% of awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to foster economic opportunity among qualified small firms while ensuring access to specialized capabilities often found only in niche market participants. She consistently prioritizes small business eligibility across socioeconomic categories, reinforcing the agency’s mandate to promote equitable contracting. Lowther’s primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 339920 (Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing), indicating deep expertise in acquiring training-specific equipment such as simulators, protective gear, and range components. Secondary areas include explosives manufacturing and specialized fabrication, underscoring her technical fluency in high-safety, regulated domains critical to federal law enforcement readiness.