Lori Drinks

Lori Drinks serves as Registration Manager, overseeing the intake, validation, and compliance of vendor registrations critical to the agency’s acquisition lifecycle. In this role, she ensures that all prospective contractors meet federal eligibility requirements, including certification status and system registrations such as SAM.gov and DUNS. Her work is foundational to the agency’s procurement mission, enabling efficient and compliant contract award processes by verifying vendor qualifications before any solicitation is issued. She primarily supports the acquisition of professional, scientific, and technical services, acting as a gatekeeper for contractor readiness and ensuring alignment with federal regulatory standards. While specific contractor names are not available, Lori maintains consistent engagement with a broad ecosystem of registered vendors, particularly those holding small business certifications. Her role involves close coordination with procurement teams to validate vendor eligibility prior to solicitation release, fostering a transparent and equitable vendor onboarding process. She is known for her diligence in ensuring that only compliant, properly certified entities proceed into the acquisition pipeline, reinforcing integrity and fairness in the contracting process. Lori demonstrates an unwavering commitment to small business participation, with 100% of her assigned acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to maximize opportunities for small businesses, including those certified under 8(a), HUBZone, and Women-Owned Small Business programs. Her registration protocols prioritize the verification of socioeconomic certifications, ensuring that eligible firms are not inadvertently excluded and that set-aside requirements are fully realized. Her primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541990—All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services—encompassing a wide range of specialized support functions such as consulting, analytical services, technical advisory work, and research support. She regularly interfaces with vendors offering non-clinical, mission-enabling services that require high levels of expertise and compliance with federal standards, underscoring her deep familiarity with the technical and regulatory nuances of professional services contracting.