Nathaniel Barbato

Nathaniel Barbato serves as a Contracting Officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), where he plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisition strategies that support the agency’s mission to modernize healthcare delivery and expand equitable access to coverage. He manages a diverse portfolio of procurement actions centered on information technology, systems design, and operational support services critical to Medicare, Medicaid, and Health Insurance Marketplace programs. His work ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning contracting decisions with CMS’s strategic priorities in data analytics, digital infrastructure, and healthcare innovation. Barbato maintains established relationships with key federal contractors including Maximus Federal Services, Peraton Enterprise Solutions, Novitas Solutions, National Government Services, and General Dynamics Information Technology. These partnerships are primarily performance-based, focusing on long-term service delivery in IT modernization, claims processing, and systems management. His contracting approach emphasizes outcome-driven solicitations, robust vendor performance evaluations, and continuous contract administration to ensure accountability and mission effectiveness. His set-aside preferences reflect a strong orientation toward full and open competition, with 78.3% of awards issued without socioeconomic set-asides. When set-asides are utilized, they predominantly favor 8(a) competed contracts (17.4%), with a modest but consistent allocation to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5 (4.3%). This pattern indicates a balanced approach—prioritizing competition while strategically leveraging small business capabilities where they align with technical complexity or mission needs. Barbato’s procurement focus is heavily concentrated in NAICS 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services) and 541513 (Computer Facilities Management Services), reflecting his specialization in end-to-end IT infrastructure, cloud-enabled platforms, and managed services for large-scale healthcare systems. He frequently procures software development, data integration, cybersecurity, and systems maintenance services, demonstrating deep expertise in the technical domains supporting CMS’s digital transformation initiatives.