Mary Jo Varel

Mary Jo Varel serves as a Procurement Analyst at U.S. Transportation Command (USTransCom), supporting the agency’s global mobility mission through the execution of complex logistics and transportation acquisitions. She plays a critical role in managing the full lifecycle of contracts that enable the rapid deployment and sustainment of military forces across air, sea, land, and rail domains. Her work centers on securing expeditionary logistics services, port and terminal operations support, and specialized transportation solutions that ensure theater access and operational readiness. Varel routinely handles performance-based, task-order contracts under indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) mechanisms, often coordinating with technical stakeholders to align procurement outcomes with operational requirements. Varel maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of specialized contractors, including UNCOMN LLC, PHOENIX AIR GROUP, INC., RAMPART AVIATION, LLC, FANCIULLI EGISTO S.R.L., and MOUNTAIN AVIATION, LLC. These partnerships reflect a focus on high-capability providers with proven expertise in military airlift, cargo handling, and expeditionary aviation support. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance metrics, mission-critical reliability, and compliance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) requirements, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in operational transparency and accountability. Varel’s procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside categories. This indicates a deliberate focus on capability-driven sourcing rather than socioeconomic preferences, prioritizing mission effectiveness and operational continuity over targeted small business set-asides. While she does not routinely utilize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her contracting decisions are guided by rigorous evaluation of technical capability and past performance. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 488999 (All Other Support Activities for Transportation), encompassing terminal operations, cargo handling, and expeditionary logistics support, alongside NAICS 481111 (Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation) and NAICS 541712 (Research and Development in Physical and Engineering Sciences). This blend reflects a technical domain expertise in aviation logistics systems and operational research supporting global mobility.