Marie A. Tharpe

Marie A. Tharpe serves as a key procurement lead within the W7NT USPFO Activity ND ARNG, supporting the Department of the Army’s mission to sustain operational readiness for Army National Guard units. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on logistics, facility support, and field operational services, ensuring that state-based military forces have access to essential infrastructure, food and lodging, and specialized equipment. Her work directly enables training readiness and administrative continuity, with a strong emphasis on mission-critical contracting under FAR Part 19 and other socioeconomic programs. Tharpe routinely handles service-based and supply contracts requiring rapid deployment and field adaptability. Tharpe maintains consistent working relationships with core vendors including Institutions Services, Inc. and Northern Plains Laboratory LLC, both of which provide specialized support in catering, environmental testing, and equipment maintenance. Her contracting patterns reflect long-term, performance-based partnerships with vendors capable of delivering scalable, on-site services across remote and austere environments. These relationships are characterized by repeat award activity and a preference for contractors with proven experience in military and state-level operational support. Tharpe demonstrates an unwavering commitment to small business participation, with 100% of her acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. She consistently prioritizes contracting opportunities for small businesses, including those certified under 8(a), HUBZone, and SDVOSB programs, ensuring equitable access to federal resources for economically disadvantaged and geographically underserved firms. Her procurement strategy aligns with DoD mandates to expand small business engagement in mission-critical support functions. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 722320 (Caterers), reflecting a high volume of food service contracts for garrison and field operations, followed by industrial equipment manufacturing (333924) and construction materials sourcing (212321). She also procures medical supplies (423450) and specialized plastics (326199) critical to field medical and equipment systems. Tharpe’s expertise spans logistics support, operational sustainment, and infrastructure services, making her a pivotal figure in enabling the Army National Guard’s readiness posture.