Marilyn L. Whaley

Marilyn L. Whaley serves as a key procurement professional within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), supporting the agency’s mission to advance scientific understanding of oceanic, atmospheric, and coastal systems through strategic acquisition of technical and operational services. She manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on research and development, environmental monitoring, and specialized technical services critical to NOAA’s data-driven operations. Her work ensures the timely acquisition of mission-critical capabilities in support of weather forecasting, marine ecosystem protection, and climate resilience initiatives, aligning procurement activities with federal regulatory frameworks and scientific priorities. Whaley maintains established relationships with a select group of contractors, including the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, Tronconi Segarra & Associates LLP, JNB Services LLC, Pure Enviro-Management, LLC, and The Regents of the University of Colorado. These partnerships reflect a blend of academic, environmental consulting, and technical services providers, indicating a preference for organizations with proven expertise in scientific research, environmental compliance, and data systems support. Her contracting patterns suggest a reliance on long-term, performance-based vendor relationships that emphasize technical proficiency and mission alignment over transactional engagements. Her procurement approach prioritizes open competition, with 73.7% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions, while maintaining a consistent 26.3% allocation to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a balanced commitment to fostering small business participation without compromising access to specialized capabilities. She does not appear to favor specific socioeconomic categories such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB, instead emphasizing broad small business eligibility within competitive frameworks. Whaley’s primary NAICS focus areas include 541712 (research and development in physical and engineering sciences), 541990 (other professional, scientific, and technical services), and 721110 (hotels and motels), suggesting procurement of scientific services, operational support, and facility-related logistics. Her technical domain expertise centers on environmental data systems, field instrumentation, and science-based consulting, underscoring NOAA’s reliance on interdisciplinary contracting to sustain its operational and research infrastructure.