Karen L Eichelberger

Karen W. Eichelberger serves as a Contract Officer within the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), part of the Department of Defense, where she manages the acquisition of critical geospatial intelligence capabilities to support national security and defense operations. Her responsibilities include planning, soliciting, evaluating, and awarding contracts for technical services aligned with NGA’s mission to advance geospatial data collection, analysis, and dissemination. She routinely handles complex, performance-based acquisitions in geospatial technology, software development, and analytical services, ensuring compliance with FAR and DFARS requirements while promoting innovation and mission readiness. Eichelberger maintains a strong working relationship with ECS Federal, LLC, a key contractor delivering integrated geospatial solutions and mission support services. Her procurement pattern reflects a preference for established vendors with proven expertise in defense and intelligence domains, fostering long-term partnerships that ensure continuity in high-stakes, mission-critical programs. She engages with contractors through competitive sealed bidding and negotiated acquisitions, emphasizing technical merit, past performance, and cybersecurity readiness. Her contracting portfolio demonstrates a balanced approach to socioeconomic goals, with approximately 28.6% of awards designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, indicating a deliberate commitment to small business participation. While the majority of her acquisitions are open to all competitors, she actively facilitates opportunities for small businesses capable of delivering specialized geospatial and IT services. Eichelberger’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541360 and 541370, reflecting her expertise in geophysical and surveying mapping services, complemented by significant activity in 541511 for custom computer programming and 611310 for academic research partnerships. She also procures specialized technical services under 811219, underscoring her support for niche, high-precision capabilities essential to NGA’s analytical infrastructure and operational readiness.