Mike Dowd

Mike Dowd serves as Acting Research Leader within the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Office of Acquisition and Procurement, where he oversees mission-critical procurement activities that enable cutting-edge agricultural research. His role centers on acquiring advanced laboratory instrumentation, precision environmental control systems, and infrastructure maintenance services essential to sustaining field stations and experimental sites. Dowd ensures that procurement strategies align with the agency’s goals of scientific innovation, data-driven research, and operational resilience, directly supporting the deployment of technologies that enhance agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. He maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including MCKENZIE CONSTRUCTION & SITE DEVELOPMENT LLC, AEROSPACE & COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, and L1 ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED, primarily engaging them for facility maintenance, specialized technical services, and environmental system integration. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in managing complex research infrastructure, often involving custom engineering solutions and long-term service agreements to ensure continuity at remote and high-value research locations. Dowd’s procurement portfolio is exclusively non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition, indicating a focus on technical merit and vendor capability over socioeconomic classifications. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through set-asides, his contracting approach remains competitive and transparent, selecting vendors based on demonstrated technical proficiency and past performance in high-stakes research environments. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 561710—Exterminating and Pest Control Services—reflecting the critical need to maintain biosecure research environments at USDA facilities. This specialization underscores his expertise in managing pest mitigation, structural integrity, and environmental compliance systems essential to protecting sensitive agricultural experiments and biological samples from contamination or infestation.