Missy Grice

Missy Grice supports the Agricultural Research Service’s Office of Acquisition and Procurement in securing critical infrastructure and specialized services essential to USDA’s scientific mission. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on high-precision laboratory instrumentation, field equipment, and technical support services that enable cutting-edge agricultural research. Her work ensures the operational readiness of research facilities by facilitating the procurement of ultra-low-temperature freezers, micro-CT scanners, sterilization systems, and analytical tools required for biological and environmental studies. Grice operates within a framework that prioritizes mission-critical delivery while adhering to federal acquisition regulations and agency-specific compliance standards. Her procurement activities are closely aligned with a select group of contractors, including MCKENZIE CONSTRUCTION & SITE DEVELOPMENT LLC for facility upgrades, LARKOS PACKING AND DISTRIBUTION INC. for specialized logistics, ARABIC INTERPRETERS LLC for language services supporting international research collaboration, and AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC for advanced instrumentation support. These partnerships reflect a pattern of sustained engagement with vendors capable of delivering technically complex, compliance-sensitive solutions under tight operational timelines, often involving custom configurations and just-in-time delivery protocols. Grice demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with nearly 59% of her acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. She consistently prioritizes socioeconomic programs, with notable engagement from service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses and women-owned small businesses, reflecting a deliberate strategy to broaden vendor diversity while maintaining technical excellence. Her contracting patterns reveal a balanced approach that leverages small business capabilities without compromising the agency’s need for reliable, high-performance solutions. Her primary technical focus lies in NAICS 334516 for analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing and 811310 for commercial and industrial equipment maintenance, with additional emphasis on plumbing, HVAC, and biotechnology R&D services. This specialization underscores her expertise in procuring mission-critical research infrastructure and ensuring the long-term functionality of scientific assets across USDA’s national laboratory network.