Kenda Tucker

Kenda Tucker serves as a key procurement professional within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, specifically supporting the Procurement and Workforce Administration office. In this role, she facilitates the acquisition of critical infrastructure, laboratory equipment, and field research support services essential to advancing national agricultural science. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of contracts—from market research and solicitation to award and administration—ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning purchases with the agency’s mission to modernize research capabilities. She routinely handles complex procurements involving specialized instrumentation, facility upgrades, and technical services that enable cutting-edge biological and environmental research. Tucker maintains collaborative relationships with a diverse ecosystem of vendors, particularly small businesses and specialized contractors experienced in laboratory and research facility support. She works closely with electrical, plumbing, and HVAC contractors to maintain mission-critical research environments, and partners with analytical instrument manufacturers and biotechnology R&D firms to equip USDA laboratories with state-of-the-art capabilities. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term vendor reliability, technical expertise, and adherence to performance-based requirements. Her procurement strategy is deeply rooted in small business advocacy, with 91.3% of awards designated for total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a strong commitment to socioeconomic diversity in federal contracting. She actively prioritizes small business participation, with a notable emphasis on 8(a) competed contracts and other disadvantaged business programs, ensuring equitable access to federal research support opportunities. Tucker’s primary technical focus lies in NAICS 238210 (electrical installation), 334516 (analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing), and 238220 (HVAC and plumbing), underscoring her expertise in procuring infrastructure and precision scientific equipment. She also supports biotechnology R&D services under NAICS 541714, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of the technical demands of agricultural science, from lab instrumentation to facility modernization for biosafety and data-driven research environments.