Kelsey Reese

Kelsey Reese serves as a Contract Specialist within the Contracts and Acquisitions Management unit of the U.S. Department of Education, where she plays a pivotal role in executing strategic procurements that advance federal education policy, regulatory compliance, and institutional capacity. She manages the full lifecycle of professional services contracts, with a focus on consulting, data systems, and educational support services that underpin national student aid programs and evidence-based research initiatives. Her work ensures alignment with federal acquisition regulations and supports the agency’s mission to modernize the infrastructure governing postsecondary education data and financial operations. Reese maintains a consistent working relationship with LPE-STRATEGIES LLC, a primary contractor providing administrative management and policy implementation support. Her contracting patterns reflect collaborative, performance-based engagements with vendors who deliver analytical, operational, and technical services tailored to complex education systems. She prioritizes long-term vendor partnerships grounded in transparency, compliance, and measurable outcomes, fostering a procurement environment that values reliability and subject-matter expertise. Her set-aside preferences reflect a balanced approach to socioeconomic contracting: 75% of her acquisitions are open to all competitors, while 25% are structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This demonstrates a deliberate commitment to expanding opportunities for small businesses without compromising the agency’s need for scalable, high-capacity service providers. She does not routinely utilize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, instead favoring broad small business participation across categories. Reese’s primary NAICS focus areas include 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services), which constitutes nearly 40% of her portfolio, alongside 611710 (Educational Support Services), 522320 (Financial Transactions Processing), and 541519 (Other Computer Related Services). She procures specialized consulting, data processing, system integration, and institutional support services critical to federal education operations, demonstrating deep technical expertise in compliance-driven, mission-critical procurement domains.