Lori T. Kliethermes

Lori T. Kliethermes serves as an Acquisition Program Specialist within the Federal Highway Administration’s 6982AF Central Federal Lands Division, where she manages the procurement of critical transportation infrastructure projects across federally managed lands, including national parks, forests, and Native American territories. Her role centers on executing full-cycle acquisition processes for highway, bridge, and civil engineering contracts, ensuring compliance with federal regulations while advancing the agency’s mission of safe, durable, and sustainable access to remote federal properties. She works closely with engineers and project managers to translate technical requirements into solicitation documents, evaluate proposals, and administer performance-based contracts aligned with federal acquisition policy. Kliethermes maintains long-standing relationships with a core group of experienced contractors, including MARTIN BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION, MCCULLOUGH CONSTRUCTION INC., WEST COAST CONTRACTORS, INC., S.T. RHODES CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATED, and SEB ENGINEERING INC. These partnerships reflect a preference for proven performers with demonstrated expertise in complex civil works environments. Her procurement approach emphasizes contractor reliability, safety records, and past performance in challenging terrain, fostering stable, performance-driven vendor relationships built on accountability and technical competence. Her contracting patterns show a strong preference for open competition, with 66.7% of awards issued without set-asides. When small business opportunities are pursued, she prioritizes HUBZone and 8(a) programs, reflecting a measured but intentional commitment to socioeconomic goals. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business set-asides are utilized sparingly, indicating a balanced approach that aligns small business participation with project complexity and contractor capacity. Kliethermes specializes almost exclusively in NAICS 237310—Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction—overseeing the procurement of road paving, structural bridge repairs, drainage systems, and earthwork projects. Her technical domain expertise lies in civil infrastructure procurement for rugged, environmentally sensitive federal lands, requiring precise adherence to federal environmental and safety standards. She rarely procures services outside this core specialty, demonstrating deep focus on mission-critical transportation construction.