MIchael T. McCarthy

Michael T. McCarthy serves as a key procurement lead within the U.S. Forest Service’s R10 Alaska Regional Office, overseeing the acquisition of critical infrastructure and operational support services across Alaska’s remote and ecologically sensitive regions. He manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on transportation, land management, and environmental stewardship, ensuring compliance with federal regulations while advancing the agency’s mission of safe, sustainable access to federal lands. His acquisitions primarily support road and bridge construction, forest management operations, and facility maintenance in challenging terrains, requiring specialized engineering and logistical expertise. McCarthy collaborates extensively with small and medium-sized contractors, particularly those with regional experience in Alaskan conditions. He maintains strong working relationships with firms specializing in heavy civil engineering, forestry support, and landscape services, often engaging vendors with proven on-the-ground capabilities in remote logistics, cold-weather construction, and ecological mitigation. His procurement approach emphasizes reliability, local knowledge, and adaptability to extreme environmental conditions, fostering long-term vendor partnerships built on performance and compliance. A staunch advocate for small business participation, McCarthy consistently prioritizes small business set-asides, with 85.7% of his acquisitions designated under the FAR 19.5 Small Business Set-Aside program. He actively promotes socioeconomic contracting opportunities, frequently awarding contracts to small businesses, including those certified under HUBZone and service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) programs, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to equitable economic development in underserved Alaskan communities. His technical focus centers on NAICS codes 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction), 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction), and 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), with additional emphasis on 541320 (Landscape Architectural Services) and 561730 (Landscaping Services). He procures specialized services including trail and access road development, erosion control, forest thinning support, and ecological restoration, demonstrating deep expertise in integrating civil engineering with environmental compliance in Alaska’s unique landscape.