Nicole Rahmer

Nicole Rahmer serves as a key procurement lead within the Indian Education Acquisition Office, operating under the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions aimed at advancing educational equity and cultural responsiveness for Native American students. Her work centers on securing services and infrastructure that support safe, functional learning environments, including special education resources, behavioral health programs, and culturally integrated curricular tools. Rahmer’s procurement strategy aligns with the agency’s mission to empower tribal communities through targeted, community-driven solutions, prioritizing acquisitions that enhance student outcomes while respecting tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Rahmer maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors including RJS Construction Inc., Laura Edwards, Lane Travel Inc., Maguire Iron, Inc., and Tami Jollie-Trottier PhD PLLC. These partnerships reflect a blend of construction, travel logistics, educational consulting, and specialized service delivery, indicating a focus on both physical infrastructure and human-centered support systems. Her contracting patterns suggest a preference for established, reliable vendors with demonstrated experience in tribal contexts, often engaging firms that understand the unique operational and cultural requirements of Indian Country. Rahmer demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic inclusion, with the majority of her acquisitions—over 35%—reserved for Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) set-asides, a unique Department of the Interior designation supporting Native-owned businesses. An additional 8.8% are awarded under the general Small Business Set-Aside program, while only a small fraction fall under the broader Indian Economic Enterprise category. Her contracting approach reflects a deliberate effort to channel federal resources into tribal economies through targeted, legislatively aligned set-asides. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 611710 (Educational Support Services), encompassing tutoring, curriculum development, and student support programs. She also regularly procures software and computer-related services (NAICS 513210 and 541519) to enhance digital learning capacity, alongside food service contractors (722310) to ensure nutritional support in remote schools. This technical domain expertise underscores her specialization in holistic, student-centered educational infrastructure.