Lara A. Newburn

Lara A. Newburn serves as a Procurement Technician with the USDA Forest Service, supporting the agency’s mission to sustain forest and grassland ecosystems through strategic acquisition of critical services and infrastructure support. In her role, she facilitates the execution of procurements aligned with operational readiness, ecological restoration, and emergency response needs across remote and rugged terrains. She manages a diverse portfolio of contract actions under FAR Part 13 and Part 14 procedures, focusing on simplified acquisitions and competitive solicitations for professional, technical, and construction-related services essential to forest management and public safety. Newburn maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors specializing in forestry support, civil engineering, and skilled trades. Her primary vendor partners include ACI FEDERAL INC, ONE STOP RECRUITING LLC, GONDO ROY E MD, THE LOCUMS CO, LLC, and AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, reflecting a blend of staffing, technical consulting, and specialized construction capabilities. These partnerships are cultivated through structured competition and performance-based contracting, ensuring reliable delivery of mission-critical resources in dynamic field environments. A strong advocate for small business participation, Newburn consistently prioritizes socioeconomic set-asides, with over 64% of her acquisitions designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. She actively promotes HUBZone participation, reflecting a deliberate commitment to economic development in underserved rural communities where Forest Service operations are concentrated. Her contracting patterns align with federal goals to expand opportunity for small, disadvantaged, and location-based businesses. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), encompassing wildfire mitigation, invasive species control, and forest health services. She also regularly procures construction-related services under NAICS 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction) and 238160 (Roofing Contractors), demonstrating expertise in infrastructure resilience and maintenance for remote federal facilities. Her technical domain knowledge spans ecological operations, field logistics, and compliance with federal environmental and construction standards.