Karen L. Simmons

Karen L. Simmons serves as a Contract Specialist with the W072 Endist Huntington under the Department of the Army, where she manages the full lifecycle of procurement actions for civil engineering and facility maintenance contracts critical to military infrastructure sustainability. Her role centers on ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations while advancing the agency’s mission to modernize water control systems, transportation corridors, and installation facilities. She routinely handles complex service and construction acquisitions under firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursement contract types, with a strong emphasis on performance-based contracting and technical evaluation of contractor proposals. Simmons maintains established working relationships with a core group of qualified contractors, including MPR Associates, Inc., STANTEC Consulting Services Inc., McKenzie Construction & Site Development LLC, Brannon Contracting & Maintenance Services, LLC, and Lewis Gianola PLLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for firms with proven expertise in civil engineering, landscape architecture, and site development. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, rigorous performance monitoring, and consistent adherence to technical specifications for infrastructure resilience. A dedicated advocate for small business participation, Simmons implements a 100% small business set-aside policy across all eligible procurements, aligning with FAR 19.5 and prioritizing socioeconomic programs such as HUBZone and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. Her contracting patterns consistently channel opportunities to small, capable firms with demonstrated capacity in specialized construction and environmental services, reinforcing the Army’s commitment to equitable economic opportunity. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 561730 (Landscaping Services) and 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction), reflecting deep expertise in site grading, erosion control, stormwater management, and non-residential infrastructure rehabilitation. She specializes in acquiring services that enhance operational readiness through sustainable, mission-critical facility maintenance and environmental compliance, ensuring Army installations remain resilient and mission-ready.