Kathleen Sears

Kathleen Sears serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of procurement actions, from requirements definition and market research to contract award and administration. She plays a pivotal role in ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and advancing the agency’s mission through efficient, transparent, and legally sound contracting practices. Her portfolio primarily consists of professional services acquisitions, with a sharp focus on administrative and general management consulting services. Kathleen works closely with program managers and stakeholders to translate operational needs into well-structured solicitation documents, ensuring competitive, fair, and defensible outcomes. Her contractor relationships are centered on firms specializing in strategic management consulting, organizational effectiveness, and public sector advisory services. While no single vendor dominates her award portfolio, she consistently engages with a broad base of qualified service providers, including both large professional services firms and small businesses capable of delivering high-value, non-personal services. Her approach emphasizes open competition and performance-based outcomes, fostering a marketplace where vendors are selected on technical merit and past performance rather than sole-source reliance. Kathleen’s contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions classified as “No Set-Aside.” This indicates a deliberate focus on maximizing competition across the marketplace rather than reserving awards for specific socioeconomic categories. While she does not prioritize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, her process remains fully compliant with all applicable small business programs, and she actively evaluates small business capabilities as part of the competitive evaluation process. Her primary area of expertise lies in NAICS 541611—Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. She routinely procures services related to process optimization, organizational design, performance management, and strategic planning for government operations. Her technical domain expertise centers on improving public sector efficiency through evidence-based consulting solutions, making her a key liaison between agency leadership and external subject matter experts.