Margaret J. Yeaton

Margaret J. Yeaton serves as a Contract Specialist for the National Forests in Alabama under the U.S. Forest Service, where she manages the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions to support ecological stewardship and public land operations. Her role encompasses planning, soliciting, awarding, and administering contracts aligned with the agency’s mission to sustain forest health, maintain recreational infrastructure, and ensure resilient public facilities. She routinely handles complex procurements for environmental services, facility maintenance, and habitat restoration, applying FAR provisions to ensure compliance, transparency, and mission alignment across diverse project scopes. Yeaton cultivates collaborative relationships with a broad base of vendors, particularly small businesses specializing in forestry support, land management, and infrastructure services. She works closely with contractors providing ecological restoration, trail maintenance, and forest health interventions, fostering long-term partnerships that prioritize technical expertise and environmental compliance. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting and clear statement of work development to ensure accountability and measurable outcomes in sensitive natural resource environments. A strong advocate for socioeconomic inclusion, Yeaton consistently prioritizes small business participation, with over 71% of her acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. She actively leverages HUBZone and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business set-asides, reflecting a deliberate strategy to channel federal opportunities toward underserved communities and veteran-owned enterprises. Her contracting patterns demonstrate a sustained commitment to equitable access and workforce development within rural and forest-adjacent economies. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), encompassing forest thinning, invasive species control, and prescribed burn services. She also regularly procures janitorial and facility maintenance (561720), civil infrastructure (237310), and pest management solutions (325320), demonstrating deep familiarity with land management operations and the technical demands of public forest systems. Yeaton’s expertise ensures that acquisitions directly advance the ecological and recreational integrity of Alabama’s national forests.