Mario A. Checchia

Mario A. Checchia serves as a Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where he plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical procurements that support the agency’s mandate to advance measurement science, standards, and technological innovation. He manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on scientific research, engineering services, and technical consulting, ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations while aligning contract outcomes with NIST’s strategic priorities in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and precision instrumentation. His work directly enables the development of foundational technologies critical to national security and economic competitiveness. Checchia maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including Quality Biological, Inc., ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND LABORATORIES (ATL) INTERNATIONAL, INC., and PHYSICAL ELECTRONICS USA, INC., among others. These partnerships primarily involve specialized scientific instrumentation, laboratory services, and technical support for NIST’s research initiatives. His contracting patterns reflect a preference for established vendors with proven expertise in high-precision technical domains, while also fostering collaboration with firms capable of delivering specialized, often custom-engineered solutions for metrology and standards development. His procurement portfolio is predominantly non-set-aside, with approximately 66% of awards issued under open competition, yet he maintains a strong commitment to small business participation, allocating roughly 34% of awards to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. While he does not prioritize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides at high volumes, his consistent use of small business set-asides demonstrates a deliberate effort to broaden vendor diversity within the technical services ecosystem. Checchia’s primary NAICS focus areas include Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (541712), and Engineering Services (541330). He regularly procures specialized technical services related to materials characterization, calibration systems, semiconductor process validation, and scientific instrumentation development, reflecting deep expertise in supporting NIST’s core technical missions through targeted, performance-based contracting.