Laurel A Woest

Laurel A. Woest serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, from market research and solicitation development to contract award and administration. She plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) while advancing agency mission objectives through strategic sourcing. Her portfolio primarily encompasses information technology services, digital infrastructure, and professional consulting contracts, with a strong emphasis on competitive, transparent procurement practices that align with federal best practices and accountability standards. Woest cultivates collaborative relationships with a diverse array of vendors, particularly those offering computing infrastructure, custom software development, and data processing services. While no single contractor dominates her award profile, she consistently engages with both large systems integrators and small business contractors capable of delivering scalable, secure IT solutions. Her working relationships reflect a balanced approach—favoring competition while fostering long-term vendor partnerships grounded in performance, compliance, and innovation. A strong advocate for small business inclusion, Woest demonstrates a pronounced preference for Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, accounting for 42.9% of her acquisitions. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate commitment to socioeconomic objectives, prioritizing opportunities for small businesses without relying on specialized set-asides like 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB. This approach enables broader market participation while maintaining competitive integrity and efficiency in award execution. Her primary technical focus lies in NAICS 518210 (computing infrastructure and web hosting), 541511 (custom computer programming), and 541512 (computer systems design services), with additional activity in media and publishing wholesale. She specializes in procuring cloud-enabled services, software development, and digital content management solutions, demonstrating deep familiarity with modern IT architectures and the evolving needs of federal digital transformation initiatives.