Katie Mergel

Katie Mergel serves as a FAM Program Specialist – Contract Operations within the Pacific Northwest Regional Office of the U.S. Forest Service, where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical acquisitions that support forest management, infrastructure resilience, and environmental stewardship. She manages the full lifecycle of service contracts, ensuring alignment with federal procurement regulations and agency priorities for operational continuity across remote and ecologically sensitive landscapes. Her portfolio primarily encompasses professional, technical, and administrative support services essential to sustaining field operations, including engineering, planning, and training services that enable safe and sustainable forest management. Katie maintains established working relationships with a core group of regional 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 partnerships reflect a preference for firms with demonstrated expertise in environmental consulting, civil engineering, and land management support services. Her contracting approach emphasizes reliability, technical competence, and regional familiarity, fostering long-term vendor collaboration to meet the unique logistical and ecological demands of the Pacific Northwest. Her procurement strategy reflects a strong but balanced commitment to small business participation, with 37.5% of her awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. While the majority of her contracts remain open to all competitors, she consistently prioritizes opportunities for small businesses with proven capabilities in technical and administrative services, aligning with federal socioeconomic goals without compromising mission readiness. Katie’s primary NAICS focus areas include 621330 (Mental Health Practitioner Offices), 611519 (Other Technical and Trade Schools), 541611 (Management Consulting Services), and 611210 (Junior Colleges), reflecting a diverse need for workforce development, operational training, and administrative support services. Her expertise lies in procuring specialized human capital solutions that enhance staff capacity, institutional knowledge transfer, and compliance with federal environmental and safety standards across agency operations.