Martin Schmidt

Martin Schmidt serves as a Contracting Officer for the R1 Regional Office of the U.S. Forest Service, part of the Department of Agriculture, where he manages the acquisition of critical infrastructure and operational support services essential to sustaining national forest lands. His portfolio encompasses construction, maintenance, and resource stewardship contracts that enable wildfire mitigation, trail and road rehabilitation, and facility operations across remote and ecologically sensitive regions. Schmidt ensures compliance with federal procurement regulations while aligning acquisitions with the agency’s mission of environmental stewardship and public safety, routinely overseeing complex, mission-critical procurements under FAR Part 36 and Part 19. Schmidt maintains collaborative relationships with a diverse base of contractors specializing in forestry support, civil construction, and equipment maintenance. He regularly engages small businesses and specialized firms with proven expertise in forest service operations, fostering long-term vendor partnerships grounded in performance reliability and technical proficiency. His contracting approach emphasizes accountability, risk mitigation, and contractor capacity-building, particularly with firms experienced in working within constrained, environmentally sensitive terrains. A strong advocate for socioeconomic inclusion, Schmidt consistently prioritizes small business set-asides, with 64.7% of his acquisitions designated for total small business participation and 17.6% reserved for HUBZone firms. His contracting patterns reflect a deliberate strategy to expand economic opportunity for disadvantaged businesses while ensuring access to qualified, capable vendors. He actively promotes HUBZone and small business eligibility, aligning procurement decisions with federal socioeconomic goals and fostering a competitive, inclusive vendor ecosystem. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction) and 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), reflecting his deep expertise in terrestrial infrastructure and forest management services. He also procures specialized equipment and maintenance services under NAICS 333914 and 811310, demonstrating technical fluency in hydraulic systems, forestry machinery, and industrial equipment repair. Schmidt’s domain knowledge enables him to evaluate technical proposals with precision, ensuring acquisitions meet stringent environmental and operational standards.