Marlene A. Harris

Marlene A. Harris serves as a Contracting Specialist within the Telecommunications Division (HC1013) of the Defense Information Systems Agency, where she plays a pivotal role in securing and modernizing the Department of Defense’s global communications infrastructure. She manages the full lifecycle of complex telecommunications and IT acquisitions, with a focus on secure network services, virtual private network deployments, and mission-critical system integration. Her work directly supports DISA’s mission to ensure resilient, high-capacity, and interoperable connectivity across military and federal operations, often involving cutting-edge telecom modernization and cyber-secure infrastructure solutions. Marlene regularly collaborates with a core group of established contractors including AT&T Technical Services Company, Inc., Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Liberty Communications, Inc., AOC Connect LLC, and Norfolk Fiber, LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in secure telecom engineering, fiber-optic network deployment, and enterprise-level IT services. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, long-term service agreements, and vendor accountability to sustain mission-critical communications systems under demanding operational conditions. Her procurement patterns show a strong orientation toward open competition, with 80% of acquisitions issued without set-asides. However, she consistently supports small business participation, allocating approximately 13.3% of awards to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5 and 6.7% to HUBZone firms, demonstrating a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals without compromising mission readiness. Marlene’s portfolio is heavily concentrated in NAICS 488119 (Other Airport Operations) and 541519 (Other Computer Related Services), reflecting her specialization in secure terrestrial and satellite-based communications infrastructure, network systems design, and custom telecommunications software development. She routinely procures services related to fiber network installation, secure data transport, network resilience engineering, and mission-specific IT support, underscoring her deep technical expertise in defense-grade telecommunications systems.