Kara Stith

Kara Stith serves as a key procurement lead within the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, where she manages acquisitions critical to modernizing the agency’s digital infrastructure and operational systems. Her role centers on securing technology solutions that support the administration of federal nutrition assistance programs, ensuring seamless data integration, system reliability, and compliance with federal standards. She routinely oversees the procurement of custom software development, system modernization initiatives, and data analytics platforms that enhance program integrity and beneficiary access. Her work directly enables FNS to fulfill its mission of reducing food insecurity through technology-driven efficiency and evidence-based policy support. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Stith’s procurement patterns indicate consistent engagement with firms specializing in custom computer programming services, particularly those capable of delivering scalable, secure, and interoperable solutions for large-scale federal nutrition systems. Her working relationships are characterized by a preference for vendors with deep experience in federal compliance, agile development methodologies, and legacy system modernization, often requiring adherence to FISMA, NIST, and OMB guidelines. Stith’s contracting activity reflects a strong emphasis on open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions designated as “No Set-Aside.” This indicates a strategic focus on technical capability and performance over socioeconomic classifications, though it does not preclude participation from small or disadvantaged businesses that meet the required technical criteria. Her approach prioritizes mission-critical outcomes and system interoperability, aligning with FNS’s broader operational modernization goals. Her primary industry focus is NAICS 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services), underscoring her specialization in bespoke software development for federal nutrition programs. She procures services including application development, backend system integration, cloud-based data platforms, and automated eligibility verification tools—all essential to sustaining the nutritional assistance ecosystem across state and local partners.