Karen Hayes

Karen Hayes serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, from requirements definition through contract award and administration. She plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) while advancing mission-critical procurement objectives. Her portfolio primarily encompasses professional services contracts in technical and scientific domains, including environmental consulting, research and development, and custom software development. Hayes works closely with program managers and technical evaluators to develop clear statements of work, evaluate proposals, and negotiate terms that balance risk, cost, and performance outcomes. Her contractor relationships are characterized by engagement with a diverse pool of vendors specializing in technical services rather than large-scale manufacturing or infrastructure. She routinely collaborates with mid-sized and small firms offering expertise in environmental analysis, engineering R&D, and custom computer programming. While no single contractor dominates her award portfolio, her pattern reflects a preference for agile, specialized service providers capable of delivering niche technical solutions under performance-based contracting frameworks. Hayes demonstrates a strong alignment with socioeconomic contracting goals, with 94.4% of her awards issued under open competition and only 5.6% designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This indicates a strategic focus on full and open competition while still maintaining a measurable commitment to small business participation when appropriate. She does not appear to prioritize specific socioeconomic categories such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB, but rather applies set-asides selectively based on market research and small business availability. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541620 (Environmental Consulting Services), 541712 (Scientific R&D), and 541511 (Custom Computer Programming), reflecting deep expertise in technical services supporting environmental compliance, scientific innovation, and IT system development. She frequently procures analytical tools, laboratory instrumentation, and software solutions tied to industrial process control, demonstrating specialized knowledge in engineering and environmental science domains.