Melani L. Hainesworth

Melani L. Hainesworth serves as a Contract Specialist within the Eastern Federal Lands Division of the Federal Highway Administration, where she manages the full lifecycle of procurement actions for critical transportation infrastructure projects on federally managed lands. Her work directly supports the agency’s mission to maintain safe, resilient, and environmentally responsible highway, bridge, and roadway systems within national forests and public rights-of-way. Hainesworth specializes in designing, soliciting, and awarding construction contracts under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, with a focus on complex, mission-critical civil works that require coordination with multiple federal, state, and tribal stakeholders. She maintains consistent, long-term relationships with a core group of experienced contractors including ESTES BROS. CONST. INC., BLUEGRASS CONTRACTING CORP, BRYANT'S LAND AND DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIES, INC., ECLIPSE COMPANIES, LLC, and ASPEN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. These partnerships are built on proven performance in delivering high-quality, federally compliant roadway and bridge construction services under challenging environmental and topographical conditions. Hainesworth prioritizes contractors with demonstrated expertise in federal land constraints and sustainable construction practices. Hainesworth exhibits a strong, consistent commitment to socioeconomic contracting, directing 100% of her acquisitions to HUBZone set-asides. This reflects a deliberate strategy to promote economic development in historically underserved communities while ensuring access to qualified, locally rooted small businesses with relevant regional experience. Her procurement patterns emphasize equitable opportunity and compliance with the HUBZone Small Business Act, reinforcing the agency’s dedication to inclusive contracting. Her technical focus is exclusively on NAICS 237310—Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction—where she manages complex civil infrastructure projects involving earthwork, drainage, paving, structural bridge elements, and erosion control. She brings deep expertise in evaluating technical proposals, ensuring compliance with FHWA design standards, and managing contract performance in sensitive environmental zones, making her a key steward of federal transportation assets on public lands.