Paula Thrasher

Paula Thrasher serves as a Contracting Officer responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, ensuring compliance with FAR regulations and promoting efficient, transparent procurement practices. She oversees the solicitation, evaluation, and award of contracts for construction and infrastructure projects, aligning acquisitions with agency mission objectives. Her portfolio centers on complex, high-impact projects requiring precise technical oversight and risk mitigation, particularly in commercial and institutional building construction, site preparation, and utility infrastructure. Thrasher works closely with project managers, engineers, and legal advisors to structure contracts that balance cost-effectiveness with performance requirements, ensuring deliverables meet federal standards for safety, durability, and accessibility. Thrasher cultivates collaborative relationships with a diverse pool of contractors, primarily general contractors and specialty trade firms engaged in civil and building construction. Her procurement approach emphasizes competitive bidding and clear performance metrics, fostering accountability and quality outcomes. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages firms with proven experience in infrastructure delivery, including those holding relevant SIC and NAICS certifications. Her working relationships are characterized by transparency, adherence to solicitation terms, and a focus on contractor past performance as a key evaluation criterion. Thrasher demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with over 42% of her awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. She actively leverages small business programs to expand market access, prioritizing contracts that allow eligible firms to compete without competition from large businesses. Her set-aside strategy reflects a deliberate effort to promote economic opportunity and workforce development within the construction sector, consistently favoring small business eligibility over unrestricted competitions. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction), 238910 (Site Preparation), 237130 (Power and Communication Line Construction), and 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction). She specializes in acquiring turnkey construction services, site grading, utility relocation, and roadway infrastructure, requiring deep familiarity with engineering specifications, environmental compliance, and construction scheduling. Thrasher’s technical expertise ensures contracts are structured to manage complex logistics, phased delivery, and multi-trade coordination across public infrastructure projects.