Penelope Parnes

Penelope Parnes serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of procurement actions, from requirement validation and market research through contract award and administration. She plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations while advancing the agency’s mission to secure fresh produce through efficient, transparent, and equitable contracting practices. Her portfolio primarily consists of commercial item acquisitions under simplified acquisition procedures, with a strong emphasis on meeting nutritional supply chain needs through firm-fixed-price and requirements-type contracts. Parnes is known for her meticulous attention to market analysis and pre-solicitation engagement to foster competitive bidding environments. While specific contractor names are not available, Parnes consistently engages with a dynamic pool of merchant wholesalers and distributors specializing in perishable agricultural goods. Her procurement approach emphasizes open competition, vendor responsiveness, and supply chain reliability, fostering long-term partnerships with firms capable of delivering high-quality, safely handled fruits and vegetables on tight delivery schedules. She prioritizes vendors with proven logistics capabilities, cold chain expertise, and robust quality control systems to ensure compliance with food safety standards. Parnes demonstrates an unwavering commitment to small business participation, directing 100% of her acquisitions to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to cultivate economic opportunity within the small business community, particularly among businesses that may lack the scale of larger distributors but offer agility, local sourcing, and community-based supply networks. Her contracting patterns consistently favor small businesses without leveraging other socioeconomic categories, indicating a focused preference for broad small business inclusion over targeted set-asides. Her primary procurement focus is on NAICS 424480—Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers—reflecting deep expertise in the perishable produce supply chain. She specializes in acquiring bulk quantities of fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for institutional use, requiring precise understanding of seasonal availability, packaging standards, shelf-life requirements, and USDA compliance. Parnes’ technical domain knowledge spans cold storage logistics, produce grading, and food safety protocols, ensuring acquisitions meet both operational and regulatory benchmarks.