Katie McConnell

Katie McConnell serves as a Contract Operations Specialist within the Pacific Northwest Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, where she plays a pivotal role in executing the agency’s operational procurement mission. She manages the full lifecycle of acquisitions for critical support services essential to sustaining forested landscapes, including infrastructure maintenance, ecological restoration, and field-level logistical operations. Her work ensures that mission-critical functions—ranging from trail and road maintenance to environmental compliance support—are delivered efficiently across remote and ecologically sensitive regions. McConnell specializes in non-construction, service-based contracts under NAICS 115310, focusing on the procurement of specialized forestry support activities that enable field operations and uphold environmental stewardship standards. McConnell maintains consistent, long-term working relationships with a core group of experienced contractors, including TRIPLE C-THE A & E GROUP LLC, GREAT WEST ENGINEERING INC, GDM-AE, INC., THOMAS DEAN & HOSKINS INC, and TERRAPHASE ENGINEERING INC. These firms are recognized for their technical proficiency in forestry operations, environmental consulting, and land management support services. Her procurement approach emphasizes reliability, technical compliance, and proven performance in challenging terrain, fostering collaborative partnerships grounded in regulatory adherence and mission alignment rather than transactional engagement. McConnell’s contracting portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under no set-aside categories. While she does not prioritize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her focus remains on securing the highest-quality, mission-ready services from vendors with demonstrable expertise in forest support operations, regardless of business size or certification status. Her primary industry focus is exclusively on NAICS 115310—Support Activities for Forestry—encompassing services such as vegetation management, erosion control, wildlife habitat enhancement, and forest inventory support. She procures specialized technical services requiring field experience in silviculture, environmental compliance, and federal land management protocols, demonstrating deep domain expertise in the operational realities of public forest stewardship.