Latonca Harris

Latonca S. Harris serves as a Contract Specialist and Cooperative Agreement Coordinator, responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions and non-procurement instruments to support mission-critical programs. In this role, Harris ensures compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and cooperative agreement statutes, balancing competitive procurement practices with strategic partnerships that advance organizational objectives. They typically handle complex service-based acquisitions, including research, technical consulting, and systems development, often leveraging both contracts and cooperative agreements to meet evolving program needs. Their work is central to ensuring transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the agency’s acquisition process. Harris cultivates collaborative relationships with a diverse range of vendors, particularly those specializing in social science research, custom software development, and marketing analytics. While no single contractor dominates their portfolio, they consistently engage with firms capable of delivering high-quality, tailored solutions in technical and analytical domains. Their working relationships emphasize performance-based outcomes, clear deliverables, and robust contract administration, fostering long-term vendor partnerships grounded in compliance and mutual accountability. Harris demonstrates a strong preference for open competition, with 81.8% of acquisitions conducted without set-asides. However, they actively promote small business participation, dedicating 18.2% of awards to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to expand opportunities for small businesses while maintaining rigorous competition standards, without reliance on specialized socioeconomic programs such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB. Their primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541720 (Social Sciences and Humanities Research), 541511 (Custom Computer Programming), and 541910 (Marketing Research), reflecting deep expertise in data-driven research, software development, and behavioral analytics. They frequently procure services involving survey design, algorithmic modeling, and policy evaluation, demonstrating specialized knowledge in both technical implementation and social science methodology.