Michael Rivera

Michael Rivera supports the Contracts and Acquisitions Management office within the U.S. Department of Education, playing a key role in executing strategic procurements that advance educational equity and institutional effectiveness. He manages the acquisition of consulting, analytical, and technology-enabled services designed to evaluate postsecondary access, student success outcomes, and policy implementation. His portfolio centers on data-driven decision-making tools, research support, and systems integration services that enable evidence-based improvements across federal education programs. Rivera’s work directly aligns with the agency’s mission to leverage procurement as a lever for systemic educational advancement through expert advisory and technical innovation. While specific contractor names are not disclosed in available records, Rivera maintains relationships with a diverse ecosystem of vendors specializing in management consulting, computer systems design, and social science research. He consistently engages firms capable of delivering high-quality, mission-critical services that support complex federal education initiatives. His procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting, clear statement of work development, and rigorous evaluation of technical proposals to ensure alignment with educational outcomes and compliance with federal acquisition regulations. Rivera demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with nearly 27% of his acquisitions structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. His contracting patterns reflect a deliberate effort to expand opportunities for small businesses in the education technology and policy analysis sectors, though no specific socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB are predominant. This focus ensures broad market competition while fostering innovation from agile, specialized firms. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541611 (Administrative Management Consulting) and 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services), reflecting a demand for strategic planning support and digital infrastructure solutions. He also routinely procures custom programming, social science research, and other computer-related services to build analytical capacity and support longitudinal evaluation of federal education initiatives.