Lester Harris

Lester J. Harris serves as a Realty Specialist within the PBS R4 Office of Leasing, part of the General Services Administration’s Public Buildings Service. In this role, he is responsible for executing strategic real estate acquisitions to support federal agency operations across the Southeastern United States. His portfolio centers on securing nonresidential lease space through competitive solicitation processes, ensuring compliance with federal property management standards and optimizing long-term cost efficiency. Harris manages end-to-end leasing lifecycle activities—from market analysis and space requirement validation to lease negotiation and contract administration—ensuring federal missions are supported with secure, mission-appropriate facilities. He maintains consistent working relationships with key real estate providers, including CROWN LEASING INC and FINCANTIERI MARINE REPAIR LLC, reflecting a focus on experienced lessors and specialized property managers with regional expertise. His procurement approach emphasizes long-term lease agreements with vendors capable of delivering turnkey solutions, property maintenance, and facility adaptability to meet evolving federal operational needs. These partnerships are typically established through full and open competition, with a preference for firms possessing proven track records in commercial real estate leasing and federal compliance. Harris’s contracting activity reflects minimal use of socioeconomic set-asides, with 98.3% of awards issued under full and open competition. While 8(a) competed set-asides account for a small but consistent portion of his portfolio, his primary focus remains on achieving value through market-wide competition rather than targeted socioeconomic programs, aligning with the agency’s emphasis on broad market engagement and cost-effectiveness. His procurement expertise is concentrated in NAICS 531190 (Lessors of Other Real Estate Property) and 531390 (Other Activities Related to Real Estate), with significant activity in 531120 (Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings). He specializes in procuring leased office, administrative, and mixed-use commercial spaces, demonstrating deep familiarity with commercial real estate market dynamics, lease structure optimization, and federal facility requirements under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act.