marilyn Huddleston

Marilyn Huddleston serves as a key procurement lead within the Ouachita National Forest, operating under the U.S. Forest Service’s Department of Agriculture. In this role, she manages acquisitions that directly support ecological stewardship, infrastructure resilience, and public safety across the forest’s vast landscape. Her responsibilities include planning, soliciting, and awarding contracts for services essential to land management, environmental compliance, and visitor facility maintenance. She ensures all procurements align with federal regulations and the agency’s mission to sustain forest health through science-based, community-engaged stewardship. Her acquisitions typically involve research, planning, and technical support services critical to long-term ecosystem monitoring and resource protection. While specific contractor relationships are not publicly detailed, Huddleston’s procurement patterns reflect a consistent engagement with small businesses and specialized service providers capable of delivering field-based ecological research, cultural resource assessments, and environmental compliance services. She fosters collaborative vendor partnerships that prioritize local expertise, adaptive management capabilities, and on-the-ground implementation skills necessary for working within sensitive natural environments. Huddleston demonstrates a full commitment to socioeconomic contracting, directing 100% of her procurements toward small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to empower local and regional small businesses, including those owned by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, ensuring equitable access to federal contracting opportunities while strengthening community ties to public land management. Her primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541720—Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities—indicating a strong emphasis on socioecological studies, public use planning, cultural heritage documentation, and environmental education initiatives. She procures services that bridge scientific inquiry with community engagement, supporting data-driven decision-making in forest management while preserving the cultural and recreational values of the Ouachita region.