Mark J. Miller

Mark J. Miller serves as a Contracting Officer for the Southern Research Station under the U.S. Forest Service’s Department of Agriculture, where he manages the acquisition of critical infrastructure, field support services, and engineering solutions essential to ecological research and forest health operations. His portfolio encompasses the full lifecycle of procurement activities—from solicitation and evaluation to award and contract administration—ensuring compliance with federal regulations and alignment with the Station’s mission to sustain scientific readiness across remote research sites. Miller specializes in complex, mission-critical acquisitions involving environmental compliance, field laboratory upgrades, and civil engineering support for forested and wilderness terrains. Miller maintains a consistent working relationship with LSG Management, LLC, a primary contractor delivering specialized forestry support services. His contracting patterns reflect a preference for long-term, performance-based partnerships with vendors capable of delivering integrated field operations, maintenance, and technical services under challenging environmental conditions. He actively cultivates relationships with small, agile contractors who demonstrate proven expertise in remote-site logistics and ecological infrastructure. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Miller directs 94.7% of his acquisitions toward total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deep institutional commitment to socioeconomic equity in federal contracting. While the majority of awards flow to small businesses, he also reserves a small percentage for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, ensuring diverse vendor representation while maintaining operational excellence. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction), and 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction), reflecting the Station’s need for site access improvements, erosion control, and research facility maintenance. He also procures specialized technical services under NAICS 541990, including ecological monitoring, environmental assessments, and field data collection systems, demonstrating expertise in science-driven, mission-critical contracting within the natural resources domain.