Pavan Mehrotra

Pavan Mehrotra serves as a Contract Specialist within the Contracts and Acquisitions Management unit of the U.S. Department of Education, where he plays a pivotal role in executing strategic procurements that advance federal education policy and institutional capacity. He manages the full lifecycle of professional services contracts, with a focus on research, data systems, and management consulting solutions that support evidence-based decision-making in postsecondary education. His acquisitions directly enable critical functions such as federal student aid administration, regulatory compliance, and national education data infrastructure modernization, ensuring alignment with statutory requirements and federal acquisition regulations. Mehrotra maintains a primary working relationship with LPE-STRATEGIES LLC, a key vendor providing analytical and policy advisory services. His contracting patterns reflect consistent collaboration with a select group of specialized contractors who deliver high-complexity, mission-critical solutions in education research and technology. He engages vendors through competitive sealed bids and negotiated procurements, emphasizing performance-based outcomes and compliance with federal standards for deliverables and reporting. His procurement approach prioritizes open competition, with 81.8% of awards issued under no set-aside authority, reflecting a preference for broad market engagement. However, he actively supports small business participation, consistently allocating 18.2% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a balanced commitment to both efficiency and socioeconomic goals. Mehrotra’s portfolio is dominated by NAICS 541720 (Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities), reflecting his focus on educational policy analysis and evaluation studies. He also frequently procures Custom Computer Programming Services (NAICS 541511) and Administrative Management Consulting (NAICS 541611), alongside Computing Infrastructure Providers (NAICS 518210), underscoring his expertise in integrating technical systems with human-centered research to strengthen federal education data ecosystems.