Keisha Gist

Keisha Gist serves as a key procurement lead within the USDA Forest Service’s CSA East 12 unit, overseeing the acquisition of critical infrastructure and stewardship services essential to maintaining national forest ecosystems. She manages a diverse portfolio of construction, engineering, and land management contracts aligned with the agency’s mission to ensure public safety, ecological resilience, and recreational access. Her acquisitions primarily support the rehabilitation of forest roads, bridges, campgrounds, and utility systems, requiring precise adherence to federal construction standards and environmental compliance protocols. Gist’s work directly enables the Forest Service’s operational continuity and public service obligations across federally managed lands. She maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors specializing in heavy civil construction and site development, including McKenzie Construction & Site Development LLC, FinCantieri Marine Repair LLC, and Marrero, Couvillon & Associates, L.L.C. These partnerships reflect a preference for firms with proven expertise in remote-site logistics, structural rehabilitation, and environmental mitigation. Gist’s contracting approach emphasizes reliability, technical competence, and compliance with federal construction codes, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in performance accountability and regulatory adherence. Gist demonstrates an exceptional commitment to small business participation, with 94.1% of her awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. Her procurement strategy prioritizes socioeconomic programs that expand opportunities for small, disadvantaged, and locally rooted contractors, aligning closely with federal mandates to promote equitable economic development in rural and forest-adjacent communities. This consistent focus ensures broad vendor engagement while strengthening the agency’s capacity to deliver mission-critical services through diverse, qualified sources. Her primary procurement focus lies in Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (NAICS 236220), followed by Surveying and Mapping Services (541370) and Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (237310). She regularly procures services related to land surveying, structural rehabilitation, erosion control, and landscape restoration, demonstrating deep technical familiarity with civil engineering workflows and forest infrastructure lifecycle management.