Marki Settles

Marki Settles serves as a key procurement professional within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, Region 11, where they manage mission-critical acquisitions of information technology and professional services to advance federal digital modernization. Their work directly supports the agency’s mandate to deliver secure, scalable, and agile IT capabilities across federal agencies, with a focus on custom software development and engineering solutions. Settles oversees the full lifecycle of complex contracts under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, ensuring compliance with best practices in systems integration, cybersecurity, and legacy system modernization. They routinely handle task orders and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts to meet urgent operational needs across the federal enterprise. Settles maintains a broad network of qualified vendors specializing in federal IT delivery, partnering with firms that demonstrate proven expertise in custom programming, systems architecture, and technical consulting. While no single contractor dominates their portfolio, they consistently engage with mid-to-large service providers capable of supporting complex, multi-year modernization initiatives. Their contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, rigorous technical evaluation, and adherence to FARS clauses related to data security and interoperability standards. Settles has a zero set-aside preference, with 100% of procurements conducted as full and open competitions. This reflects a strategic emphasis on technical merit and capability over socioeconomic classifications, prioritizing the most qualified performers regardless of business size or certification status. While small business participation is not formally incentivized, vendors of all sizes are evaluated equally on technical merit, past performance, and compliance with federal IT standards. Their primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services) and 541330 (Engineering Services), reflecting deep expertise in software development lifecycle management, cloud-native application design, and systems engineering. Settles frequently acquires solutions for cybersecurity hardening, legacy system migration, and mission-critical application modernization, working closely with technical stakeholders to define requirements aligned with NIST and FedRAMP frameworks.