Karen Caskey

Karen Caskey serves as a key procurement lead within the Upper Colorado Regional Office of the Bureau of Reclamation, managing acquisitions critical to the agency’s mission of water infrastructure modernization, environmental stewardship, and civil engineering operations. She oversees the full lifecycle of contracts for specialized construction, hydraulic system maintenance, and ecological restoration services across the Upper Colorado River Basin. Her work ensures compliance with federal procurement regulations while aligning acquisitions with strategic priorities in water sustainability and infrastructure resilience. Caskey routinely handles complex, mission-critical procurements requiring technical expertise in civil works, water conveyance systems, and environmental compliance. She maintains consistent partnerships with a core group of contractors including AMES FEDERAL CONTRACTING GROUP LLC, RIVERRESTORATION.ORG, LLC, SOUTHWEST WATER DESIGN, L.L.C., PACIFIC OVERHEAD CRANE SERVICES INC., and ROBINS CONSTRUCTION, LLLP. These relationships reflect a preference for vendors with demonstrated experience in riverine infrastructure, specialized crane operations for dam maintenance, and ecological restoration design. Caskey fosters collaborative, long-term vendor engagements, often relying on contractors with regional expertise and proven performance in challenging hydrologic environments. Her procurement strategy reflects a balanced commitment to small business participation, with approximately half of her awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, and the other half open to all competitors. This approach supports socioeconomic goals without compromising technical capability, ensuring that qualified small firms have equitable access to high-impact water infrastructure opportunities. Caskey’s primary NAICS focus areas include landscaping services for riparian restoration, specialized freight trucking for remote construction logistics, boat building for aquatic monitoring platforms, plastics pipe and fitting manufacturing for water conveyance systems, and oil and gas field machinery manufacturing—reflecting the diverse technical needs of integrated water resource management. Her expertise lies in procuring engineered solutions that bridge civil infrastructure with ecological outcomes in arid and semi-arid regions.