Kasandra Tharp

Kasandra Tharp serves as a Contracting Officer for the Virginia Contracting Activity (HHM402), a key acquisition arm of the Defense Intelligence Agency under the Department of Defense. In this role, she leads the procurement of mission-critical technical services that directly support classified intelligence operations, including advanced systems analysis, real-time data exploitation, and custom software development for intelligence platforms. Her portfolio centers on high-acuity, science-and-engineering-driven contracts that enable the rapid processing and analysis of sensor and signals intelligence, ensuring operational readiness for national security missions. Tharp manages the full lifecycle of acquisitions—from requirements definition and market research to contract award and administration—ensuring compliance with federal regulations and alignment with DIA’s strategic modernization goals. Tharp’s contracting patterns reflect a broad, non-exclusive approach to vendor engagement, with no single contractor dominating her portfolio. She collaborates with a diverse range of technical service providers, including defense contractors, research institutions, and specialized engineering firms, all of whom possess the clearances and technical expertise required for classified environments. Her working relationships are characterized by rigorous performance oversight, iterative requirements refinement, and a focus on innovation-driven solutions tailored to evolving intelligence challenges. Tharp’s procurement strategy is exclusively non-set-aside, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted under full and open competition. While she does not prioritize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her approach ensures that all qualified vendors—regardless of size or certification—are evaluated on technical merit and mission alignment. Her primary focus lies within NAICS 541990, encompassing all other professional, scientific, and technical services. She consistently procures advanced services in systems design, physical and engineering sciences, and custom software development for intelligence applications, with deep expertise in secure data architectures, signal processing systems, and mission-critical analytics platforms.