Mark Shermak

Mark Shermak serves as a Supervisory Forester with the USDA Forest Service’s Incident Procurement unit (Agency Code: 1202SB), where he plays a pivotal role in securing critical logistical and operational resources to support wildland fire response and all-hazard incident management. His responsibilities include directing the acquisition of specialized services essential to suppression and recovery efforts, such as mobile command units, heavy equipment deployment, water systems, and temporary housing for incident personnel. Shermak ensures that procurement actions align with national incident management protocols and are executed under emergency acquisition authorities to meet time-sensitive operational demands across national forests and grasslands. Shermak maintains collaborative relationships with a network of qualified vendors specializing in forestry support services, including contractors providing wildfire suppression equipment, incident logistics coordination, and field-based technical assistance. He fosters long-term partnerships with firms capable of rapid mobilization and scalable response capabilities, prioritizing vendors with proven experience in federal incident environments and compliance with NFPA and ICS standards. His working relationships emphasize agility, reliability, and readiness to deploy under dynamic field conditions. Shermak consistently directs 100% of his procurement activity toward Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a strong institutional commitment to expanding economic opportunity for small businesses in the forestry and incident support sectors. He actively encourages participation from 8(a), HUBZone, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) with demonstrated capacity in emergency response logistics, ensuring equitable access to federal contracting opportunities while maintaining mission-critical performance standards. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), encompassing services such as fireline construction, fuel reduction, debris removal, and incident support logistics. Shermak’s technical expertise lies in evaluating contractor capabilities for field-ready, ruggedized operational support systems, ensuring all acquired services meet the stringent safety, environmental, and interoperability requirements of federal wildland fire operations.