Nicole B. Rumsey

Nicole B. Rumsey serves as Supervisory Contract Specialist for the Federal Correctional Institution at Otisville and United States Penitentiary Canaan, overseeing the acquisition of critical subsistence and food services essential to the Bureau of Prisons’ mission of providing safe, secure, and humane care to incarcerated populations. She manages a diverse portfolio of contracts under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, ensuring compliance with federal dietary standards, religious dietary accommodations, and nutritional health guidelines. Her acquisitions primarily involve the procurement of perishable and non-perishable food products, dairy, meat, and grocery supplies, requiring precise logistical coordination and strict adherence to federal food safety protocols. Rumsey cultivates collaborative relationships with a broad network of merchant wholesalers and food distributors, prioritizing vendors capable of meeting stringent federal procurement standards for quality, traceability, and timely delivery. She works closely with suppliers who maintain USDA-compliant handling practices and can accommodate religious and cultural dietary requirements, fostering partnerships that ensure consistent, reliable service across multiple correctional facilities. Her approach emphasizes vendor accountability, performance-based contracting, and continuous evaluation of supply chain resilience. A strong advocate for socioeconomic equity in federal contracting, Rumsey consistently prioritizes small business participation, with approximately 72% of her acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. She actively promotes opportunities for small, disadvantaged, and minority-owned enterprises, aligning her contracting strategy with the Bureau’s commitment to inclusive economic growth. Her pattern of set-aside usage reflects a deliberate effort to expand the pool of qualified vendors capable of serving federal correctional food service needs. Her primary procurement focus lies within NAICS 424410 (General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers) and 424490 (Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers), with significant activity in dairy and meat product distribution. This specialization underscores her technical expertise in managing complex, high-volume food supply chains that require temperature-controlled logistics, batch-specific compliance documentation, and just-in-time delivery schedules critical to institutional foodservice operations.