Melissa Blaschke

Melissa Blaschke serves as a Contract Specialist within the Contracts Services office of the Library of Congress, where she manages the acquisition of specialized information technology and media services critical to the nation’s digital preservation and public access initiatives. Her work directly supports the agency’s mission to modernize archival infrastructure through the procurement of digitization systems, metadata platforms, and accessibility-focused digital tools. Blaschke typically handles complex, mission-critical contracts requiring technical expertise in digital stewardship, including software development, data migration, and assistive technology integration, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and library-specific accessibility standards. She maintains longstanding partnerships with a select group of specialized vendors, including the Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Accessibility Services Inc., and the University of Washington, all of whom deliver high-impact services tailored to accessible information systems and archival digitization. Her contracting approach emphasizes deep vendor collaboration, often involving early engagement and requirements refinement to ensure solutions meet the Library’s stringent preservation and usability benchmarks. These relationships are built on technical alignment and proven performance in serving users with disabilities and managing large-scale cultural heritage data. Blaschke’s procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under no set-aside classifications. While she does not prioritize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB, her contracting decisions are guided by technical merit and mission alignment rather than socioeconomic criteria, ensuring that the Library secures the most capable and qualified providers for its specialized needs. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), reflecting demand for precision digitization equipment, and 541519 (Other Computer Related Services), encompassing custom software and data management solutions. She also regularly acquires services under 624120 (Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities), underscoring her expertise in accessibility-compliant digital platforms, alongside niche procurements in commercial printing and book wholesaling that support physical-to-digital conversion workflows.