Mark Shermak

Mark Shermak serves as a Silviculturist within the USDA Forest Service’s Incident Procurement unit, where he provides critical technical expertise to support rapid-response acquisitions for wildland fire and all-hazard incident operations. His role bridges ecological science and procurement strategy, ensuring that contracted services align with sound silvicultural principles and incident management needs. He primarily oversees the acquisition of specialized forestry support services, including fuel reduction, post-fire rehabilitation, vegetation management, and operational infrastructure tied to fire suppression and ecosystem recovery. His technical oversight ensures that procurement decisions not only meet logistical demands but also uphold national forest health standards and environmental compliance. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Shermak collaborates with a network of qualified vendors specializing in forest restoration, prescribed burning, and mobile operational support. His working relationships emphasize technical proficiency, rapid mobilization capacity, and adherence to federal land management protocols. He routinely engages with firms capable of deploying field crews, heavy equipment, and ecological monitoring systems under time-sensitive incident conditions, fostering partnerships built on proven performance and regulatory compliance. Shermak maintains a 100% Small Business Set-Aside preference under FAR 19.5, consistently directing acquisitions toward small businesses, including HUBZone, SDVOSB, and 8(a) certified firms with demonstrated expertise in forestry support activities. This commitment reflects a strategic emphasis on economic resilience within rural and forest-dependent communities while ensuring a diverse, agile vendor base capable of scaling to meet incident demands. His procurement focus is exclusively centered on NAICS 115310 — Support Activities for Forestry — encompassing services such as tree planting, invasive species control, prescribed fire operations, and forest road maintenance. Shermak’s domain expertise ensures that all contracted work supports ecological integrity, fire-adapted landscape management, and the long-term sustainability of national forest systems under dynamic incident conditions.