Melissa A Garmoe

Melissa A. Garmoe serves as Contracting Officer and Branch Chief, overseeing the acquisition of specialized scientific, technical, and laboratory instrumentation for federal missions. In this leadership role, she directs the planning, solicitation, and award of complex contracts, ensuring full compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation and agency procurement policies. Her portfolio centers on high-precision equipment and R&D services critical to national scientific and technical infrastructure, making her a key enabler of mission-critical capabilities across federal laboratories and testing facilities. Garmoe cultivates strategic relationships with a diverse base of vendors, including manufacturers of analytical and electrical measurement instruments, as well as engineering and life sciences research firms. She engages both large-tier suppliers with established technical capabilities and small businesses capable of delivering niche, high-specification solutions. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based requirements, competitive bidding, and long-term vendor collaboration to ensure reliability and innovation in mission-critical procurements. Her procurement strategy reflects a strong commitment to small business participation, with 25% of her awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. While the majority of her acquisitions remain open to full and open competition, she consistently prioritizes opportunities for small businesses with relevant technical expertise, particularly those certified under socioeconomic programs. This balanced approach supports both efficiency and equitable market access. Garmoe’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334515 (instrument manufacturing for electrical signal measurement), 334516 (analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing), and 541712 (R&D in physical and engineering sciences), with additional activity in 811219 (other electronic and precision equipment repair). She specializes in procuring calibrated sensors, data acquisition systems, spectrometers, and custom test apparatus used in national labs, environmental monitoring, and advanced materials research, demonstrating deep technical fluency in scientific instrumentation and laboratory automation ecosystems.