Michelle Raines

Michelle Raines serves as a Contracting Officer responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, from market research and solicitation development to contract award and administration. She plays a pivotal role in advancing her agency’s mission by ensuring compliant, efficient, and strategic procurement of professional and technical services. Her portfolio primarily encompasses complex, non-construction services requiring specialized expertise, with a strong emphasis on technology-driven solutions and scientific support. Raines routinely handles competitive sealed bids, negotiated procurements under FAR Part 15, and simplified acquisitions under Part 13, ensuring alignment with federal acquisition regulations and agency objectives. While specific contractor names are not disclosed, Raines maintains consistent relationships with a diverse pool of vendors, including large primes, mid-tier firms, and small business subcontractors. Her procurement approach emphasizes competitive fairness and performance-based outcomes, fostering partnerships grounded in transparency and accountability. She actively engages with industry through pre-solicitation meetings and market surveys to refine requirements and encourage broad participation, particularly from firms with niche technical capabilities. Raines demonstrates a clear preference for open competition, with approximately 80% of her awards issued without set-aside restrictions. However, she consistently allocates 20% of her contracting volume to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deliberate commitment to expanding opportunities for small businesses. Her approach prioritizes socioeconomic goals without compromising competition or mission readiness, aligning with broader federal initiatives to strengthen the small business ecosystem. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), with significant activity in custom computer programming (541511), engineering services (541330), and testing laboratories (541380). She also regularly procures specialized measuring and controlling devices (334519), indicating deep technical expertise in instrumentation and data acquisition systems. Raines’ domain knowledge spans software development, systems integration, and scientific testing, making her a key liaison between technical stakeholders and acquisition professionals.