Michelle Palandro

Michelle Palandro serves as a key procurement professional within Troop Support Subsistence, a critical component of the Defense Logistics Agency responsible for sustaining global military readiness through the acquisition of mission-critical food and subsistence supplies. She manages the end-to-end contracting lifecycle for perishable and non-perishable dietary items, including prepared meals, fresh produce, eggs, bottled water, and other nutritionally tailored provisions designed for deployed and garrisoned forces. Her work ensures compliance with military dietary standards and operational logistics requirements, directly supporting troop health and combat readiness through timely, secure, and scalable acquisition solutions. Palandro engages with a broad network of food manufacturers and distributors specializing in defense-compliant packaging, shelf-stable preparation, and cold-chain logistics. While specific contractor names are not publicly designated, her procurement activity consistently involves vendors with expertise in military specification (MIL-SPEC) food production, HACCP-certified processing, and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) compliance protocols. Her working relationships emphasize reliability, scalability, and adherence to strict quality control standards required for global deployment environments. Palandro’s contracting activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of awards issued under non-set-aside conditions. This indicates a focus on maximizing vendor competition and operational efficiency rather than socioeconomic set-asides, aligning with the high-volume, mission-critical nature of subsistence procurement. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through set-asides, the nature of the NAICS category allows for broad vendor inclusion, including small manufacturers capable of meeting stringent military food standards. Her primary procurement focus is centered on NAICS 311999, All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing, which encompasses specialized food production for military use, including ready-to-eat meals, bulk-packaged ingredients, and nutrient-dense rations. She possesses deep technical expertise in food safety regulations, extended shelf-life technologies, and logistical constraints unique to austere environments, ensuring that all acquired products meet DoD nutritional and operational requirements.