Michelle Bernard

Michelle Bernard serves as a Facilities Civil Engineer for the Umpqua National Forest, where she plays a pivotal role in planning, evaluating, and managing infrastructure acquisitions essential to ecological restoration and public land maintenance. Her responsibilities include overseeing the procurement of civil engineering services for water and sewer systems, forest roads, visitor facilities, and post-fire rehabilitation structures. As a technical lead within the agency’s acquisition team, she ensures that contracts align with federal environmental standards and Forest Service operational priorities, particularly in vegetation management, habitat enhancement, and infrastructure resilience. Her acquisitions are mission-critical, supporting both ecological sustainability and public access across the forest’s rugged terrain. Bernard maintains strong, recurring relationships with a core group of regional contractors, including G E Forestry, Inc., Green Hills Forestry LLC, Three Stripes Contracting LLC, and Umpqua Valley Forestry, Inc. These partnerships reflect a preference for locally rooted, experienced firms with proven expertise in forested environment construction and vegetation management. Her procurement approach emphasizes collaboration with vendors who demonstrate familiarity with USDA environmental compliance, erosion control protocols, and seasonal work constraints common in the Pacific Northwest. A dedicated advocate for small business participation, Bernard consistently prioritizes HUBZone and Total Small Business Set-Asides, allocating 50% of eligible procurements to each category under FAR 19.5. This pattern underscores a strategic commitment to fostering economic opportunity within rural, underserved communities adjacent to the forest, while ensuring access to specialized local labor and equipment. Her contracting practices actively support socioeconomic goals aligned with federal small business policy. Her primary technical focus lies in NAICS 237110 (Water and Sewer Line Construction) and 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction), reflecting her expertise in designing and procuring durable, low-impact infrastructure for remote forest service facilities. She routinely manages acquisitions for culverts, access roads, ranger stations, and visitor centers, requiring deep knowledge of geotechnical constraints, stormwater management, and sustainable construction methods in sensitive ecosystems.