Michael DeSouto

Michael DeSouto serves as a Contracting Officer for the USDA Forest Service, where he manages the acquisition of critical goods and services to support the agency’s mission of ecological restoration, wildfire mitigation, and operational readiness across remote federal lands. His portfolio encompasses technology, communications infrastructure, and professional services essential to maintaining field operations, data systems, and emergency response capabilities. DeSouto ensures compliance with federal procurement regulations while aligning acquisitions with the Forest Service’s strategic priorities in forest health and public safety. He maintains established relationships with key contractors including ACI FEDERAL INC, ONE STOP RECRUITING LLC, GONDO ROY E MD, THE LOCUMS CO, LLC, and AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, reflecting a balanced mix of specialized technical providers, staffing firms, and niche service vendors. His contracting patterns emphasize performance-based outcomes, often utilizing task orders under indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) vehicles and leveraging government-wide acquisition contracts (GWACs) to meet urgent operational needs. DeSouto demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with nearly half of his awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. While no single socioeconomic category dominates, his consistent use of small business set-asides underscores a deliberate effort to expand market access for qualified small firms, particularly those offering specialized technical and workforce support services. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334220, reflecting a heavy emphasis on radio and wireless communications equipment critical for field operations in rugged terrain. He also procures related computing infrastructure, data processing services, and specialized IT support under NAICS codes 518210 and 541519, demonstrating expertise in modernizing the agency’s digital and communications backbone to enhance situational awareness and interagency coordination.