Maricela G. Lerma

Maricela G. Lerma serves as a Contract Specialist within the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), where she plays a critical role in executing procurement actions that support the agency’s mission to secure the national defense industrial base. She manages the full lifecycle of contracts for mission-critical services related to personnel vetting, cybersecurity infrastructure, and physical security operations. Her acquisitions are strategically aligned with DCSA’s priorities in modernizing background investigation workflows and safeguarding sensitive government systems, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and risk mitigation standards. Lerma maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of prime contractors including SWISH DATA CORPORATION, AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, SPATHE SYSTEMS LLC, ROCKWOOD COMPANY LLC, and IDEMIA IDENTITY & SECURITY USA LLC. These partnerships are primarily centered on technical services supporting identity verification, secure access systems, and operational logistics. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, clear statement of work development, and rigorous contractor oversight to ensure alignment with national security requirements. Her procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 85.7% of awards issued without set-aside designations, while 14.3% are structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This balance indicates a deliberate focus on market-wide competition while still actively facilitating opportunities for qualified small businesses, particularly those with specialized capabilities in security and information technology services. Lerma’s primary NAICS focus areas include 561621 for security systems services, 541614 for process and logistics consulting, 519190 for other information services, and 721110 and 722320 for facility support services. These reflect a diverse but mission-driven procurement portfolio that supports both high-tech security infrastructure and essential operational readiness functions, demonstrating expertise in integrating commercial solutions into classified and sensitive government environments.