Monica Y. Watts

Monica Watts serves as the primary Point of Contact for the Customs and Border Protection Office of Information Technology (CBP/OIT), a critical component of the Department of Homeland Security. In this role, she facilitates the acquisition lifecycle for mission-critical cybersecurity and IT services designed to protect federal digital infrastructure from sophisticated threats, particularly distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and advanced persistent threats. She coordinates between technical stakeholders and vendors to ensure procurements align with operational resilience goals, focusing on real-time threat mitigation, network hardening, and continuous monitoring systems. Her acquisitions typically encompass managed security services, incident response capabilities, and integrated defense architectures that support uninterrupted border security operations. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Monica engages with a diverse ecosystem of vendors specializing in cybersecurity instrumentation, custom software development, and precision equipment maintenance. She fosters collaborative relationships with both large systems integrators and niche technology providers capable of delivering rapid, scalable solutions to evolving threat landscapes. Her procurement approach emphasizes agility, interoperability, and compliance with NIST and DHS cybersecurity frameworks, ensuring that contracted solutions integrate seamlessly with existing CBP/OIT environments. Monica’s contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 87.1% of acquisitions issued without set-aside restrictions. Nevertheless, she actively supports small business participation, with 6.5% of awards designated as total small business set-asides and 3.2% allocated to 8(a) competed and standard small business categories. This balanced approach ensures access to innovative capabilities while maintaining competitive rigor and mission readiness. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) and 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services), reflecting demand for tailored cybersecurity applications and threat analytics platforms. She also regularly procures electronic repair and maintenance services (811210) and specialized communications equipment (334290), underscoring expertise in sustaining mission-critical hardware and networked defense systems essential to border security operations.