Natalie Colbert

Natalie Colbert serves as Senior Contracting and Small Business Officer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where she leads the acquisition of specialized professional and technical services critical to advancing measurement science, semiconductor standards, and advanced manufacturing technologies. In this role, she manages the full lifecycle of federal contracts, ensuring alignment with NIST’s mission to bolster national competitiveness through precision innovation. Her portfolio primarily encompasses high-complexity, science-driven procurements requiring deep technical expertise, including analytical instrumentation, calibration services, and R&D support for emerging technologies in physics and engineering. Colbert maintains strategic relationships with a select group of high-caliber contractors, including Quality Biological, Inc., ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND LABORATORIES (ATL) INTERNATIONAL, INC., and PHYSICAL ELECTRONICS USA, INC.—organizations recognized for their proficiency in scientific instrumentation, laboratory services, and materials analysis. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical rigor, and long-term vendor collaboration, often partnering with firms that possess specialized domain knowledge in metrology, semiconductor process validation, and standards development. Her procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under no set-aside designations. While she does not routinely utilize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her office actively encourages small business participation through subcontracting opportunities and mentor-protégé initiatives, ensuring broad industry engagement without compromising technical integrity. Colbert’s primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541990—All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services—encompassing specialized research support, analytical testing, standards compliance services, and engineering consulting. She consistently acquires high-precision scientific equipment, calibration systems, and technical services essential to NIST’s laboratory operations, demonstrating deep expertise in the technical domains of metrology, materials characterization, and industrial innovation infrastructure.