Karen Ruklic, Contract Specialist

Karen Ruklic serves as a Contract Specialist within the Stewardship Contracting Branch of the U.S. Forest Service, where she plays a pivotal role in executing landscape-scale stewardship contracts that align ecological restoration with resource management objectives. Her procurement activities center on complex, performance-based agreements that integrate timber harvesting, watershed protection, road maintenance, and wildfire risk reduction initiatives. She manages acquisitions under the Stewardship Contracting authority, ensuring compliance with federal regulations while advancing the agency’s mission of sustainable forest health and resilience. Her work bridges ecological outcomes with operational execution, requiring nuanced contract design that balances environmental goals with practical implementation. Ruklic maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of contractors including BRINK BROTHERS INC., PEAK ENGINEERING LLC, AZ HAMMER DOWN, LLC, GABINO D GRANO, and GLADHART LLC. These partners are frequently engaged for specialized services in forest restoration, heavy civil engineering, and on-the-ground operational support. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for experienced, locally rooted vendors capable of delivering integrated, multi-resource projects across challenging terrain. She cultivates long-term, performance-driven partnerships that emphasize reliability, technical expertise, and adherence to environmental standards. Her procurement approach prioritizes open competition, with approximately 72.9% of awards issued under no set-aside conditions, while maintaining a robust 27.1% commitment to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a balanced strategy that supports small business participation without compromising the technical capacity required for complex stewardship projects. She actively facilitates opportunities for small businesses while ensuring contract outcomes meet rigorous ecological and operational benchmarks. Ruklic’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), which accounts for nearly 70% of her portfolio, encompassing fuel reduction, trail maintenance, and invasive species control. She also regularly procures services under NAICS 237310 and 237990 for road and infrastructure work critical to forest access and fire response. Her domain expertise spans ecological restoration, civil engineering support, and sustainable forestry operations, making her a key enabler of the Forest Service’s landscape-level stewardship goals.