Melissa A. Maestas

Melissa Maestas serves as a Purchasing Agent for the U.S. Forest Service’s Region 3 Southwestern Regional Office, where she manages the acquisition of critical infrastructure and environmental services essential to public land stewardship. Her role encompasses the full lifecycle of procurement—from market research and solicitation development to contract award and administration—supporting the agency’s mission to maintain resilient forest roads, trails, water systems, and visitor facilities. She specializes in civil works, environmental compliance, and facility maintenance contracts, ensuring acquisitions align with federal regulations and sustainability goals under the Department of Agriculture’s operational framework. Maestas maintains a consistent working relationship with GERMRIP LLC, a key vendor providing specialized transportation and infrastructure support services. Her procurement approach emphasizes collaborative, performance-based contracting with a preference for vendors with proven expertise in federal land management contexts. She fosters long-term partnerships with contractors who demonstrate reliability, technical proficiency, and adherence to environmental standards, ensuring seamless delivery of mission-critical services across remote and ecologically sensitive areas. A strong advocate for small business participation, Maestas directs 81.8% of her acquisitions toward Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deliberate commitment to socioeconomic contracting goals. She routinely prioritizes small disadvantaged businesses and other certified small business concerns, aligning with federal mandates to promote equitable economic opportunity within the federal contracting ecosystem. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 336999 (All Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing), reflecting demand for specialized vehicle and equipment modifications for forest service operations, alongside NAICS 221310 (Water Supply and Irrigation Systems) and 238160 (Roofing Contractors) for facility infrastructure. She also regularly procures environmental consulting services (NAICS 541620) and audio/video equipment (NAICS 334310) for visitor education and safety systems, demonstrating technical fluency in both civil engineering and public service technology domains.