Mrs. LaShaun Thompson, Contract Specialist

Mrs. LaShaun Thompson serves as the Small Business Coordinator for the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), where she plays a pivotal role in advancing equitable access to federal procurement opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses. In this capacity, she supports the agency’s mission to strengthen nutrition assistance programs by ensuring that contracting practices align with socioeconomic goals and operational efficiency. Thompson oversees the integration of small business participation into acquisitions related to program evaluation, policy research, data analytics, and stakeholder engagement for critical initiatives including SNAP, WIC, and child nutrition programs. Her work directly influences how FNS structures solicitations to maximize vendor diversity while maintaining high standards of performance and accountability. Thompson maintains strong working relationships with a core group of high-performing contractors including Mathematica Inc., The Manhattan Strategy Group LLC, Science Applications International Corporation, Innovative Management, LLC, and Insight Policy Research, Inc. These partnerships reflect a preference for firms with deep expertise in behavioral research, program evaluation, policy analysis, and public health data systems. Her procurement approach emphasizes evidence-based outcomes and long-term vendor collaboration, often resulting in task order and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts that support sustained technical assistance and operational improvements across FNS programs. Thompson demonstrates a balanced and intentional commitment to small business participation, with approximately half of FNS’s acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. Her procurement strategy consistently prioritizes socioeconomic programs that empower small businesses, ensuring that eligible firms have meaningful access to federal contract opportunities without compromising program integrity or service quality. While specific NAICS codes are not available, her portfolio centers on services related to social science research, public health evaluation, data management, and policy analysis—domains requiring specialized technical expertise in nutrition science, federal program administration, and outcome measurement. Her focus is on securing high-quality analytical and operational support to enhance the effectiveness of national nutrition assistance initiatives.