Lawanda R Henry

Lawanda M. Henry serves as a Procurement Assistant for the National Forests in Florida, supporting the U.S. Forest Service’s mission to sustainably manage public forest lands through efficient and compliant acquisition processes. In this role, she facilitates the planning, solicitation, and administration of contracts essential to forest stewardship, including infrastructure maintenance, ecological restoration, and recreation services. She works closely with contracting officers and program managers to ensure acquisitions align with federal regulations and agency priorities, handling a diverse range of procurements from janitorial and support services to civil engineering and forestry operations. Her work directly enables the agency’s operational readiness and environmental stewardship goals. While specific contractor names are not available, Lawanda collaborates with a broad network of vendors serving federal land management needs, including small businesses specializing in forestry support, trail and road construction, and facility maintenance. Her procurement activities foster strong working relationships with local and regional contractors capable of delivering specialized services in remote and ecologically sensitive environments. She ensures compliance with solicitation requirements and contract performance standards, promoting accountability and mission alignment across vendor partnerships. Lawanda demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with a pronounced preference for small business set-asides—63.2% of her acquisitions are designated for total small business participation, reflecting a deliberate strategy to expand opportunities for small, locally based firms. HUBZone and service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-asides also feature in her portfolio, underscoring her dedication to inclusive contracting practices under FAR Part 19. Her approach actively supports economic development in rural communities adjacent to national forests. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), which constitutes over a quarter of her workload, alongside significant activity in highway and bridge construction (237310), janitorial services (561720), and commercial building construction (236220). She routinely procures services related to invasive species control, trail maintenance, fire mitigation infrastructure, and public recreation facility operations, demonstrating deep technical familiarity with the operational demands of federal forest management.