La Vivian Peasant

La Vivian Peasant serves as a key procurement lead within the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), supporting the Department of Health and Human Services in advancing national biomedical readiness. Responsible for managing complex acquisition strategies, Peasant oversees the procurement of critical research and development services, diagnostic technologies, and medical supply chain infrastructure essential for responding to public health emergencies. Their work directly enables ASPR’s mission to sustain a resilient biomedical industrial base by securing innovative solutions in biotechnology, life sciences, and health IT systems. Peasant routinely handles full lifecycle contracts—from concept through delivery—focusing on high-priority, time-sensitive procurements aligned with federal preparedness mandates. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Peasant engages with a diverse ecosystem of research institutions, biotech innovators, and specialized medical technology vendors. The procurement pattern reflects a preference for technical expertise over scale, with partnerships often centered on firms capable of rapid prototyping, clinical validation, and scalable manufacturing of countermeasures. Relationships are typically performance-driven, emphasizing agility, regulatory compliance, and ability to meet stringent federal standards under urgent timelines. Peasant’s contracting activity shows a strong orientation toward open competition, with 100% of awards issued under non-set-aside authorities. This reflects a strategic emphasis on maximizing technical capability and speed of delivery during emergencies, rather than socioeconomic set-asides. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in award structure, vendors of all sizes are evaluated equally on technical merit, past performance, and readiness to support mission-critical timelines. The primary NAICS focus areas are Research and Development in Biotechnology (541714) and Research and Development in the Life Sciences (541715), accounting for 80% of activity, with additional procurement in computer and software wholesaling (423430). Peasant specializes in acquiring advanced diagnostics, biosafety equipment, data analytics platforms, and biomanufacturing capabilities, demonstrating deep expertise in translational science procurement and pandemic response infrastructure.