Penne Covert

Penne Covert serves as a Contracting Officer’s Representative for the Telecommunications Division (HC1013) within the Defense Information Systems Agency, supporting the secure and resilient expansion of the Department of Defense’s global communications infrastructure. In this role, she provides critical oversight of contract performance, ensures compliance with technical specifications and security standards, and acts as the primary liaison between program managers and contractors. Her acquisitions focus exclusively on complex, mission-critical telecommunications and IT services, particularly those involving secure network modernization, virtual private network deployment, and interoperable communications systems essential to military operations. Covert maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of prime contractors including AT&T Technical Services Company, Inc., Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Liberty Communications, Inc., AOC Connect LLC, and Norfolk Fiber, LLC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term engagement on high-visibility, technically demanding projects requiring stringent compliance with DoD cybersecurity and network resilience standards. Her collaboration with these vendors emphasizes performance-based outcomes, rigorous testing protocols, and adherence to classified and unclassified telecom specifications under Federal Acquisition Regulation guidelines. Covert’s procurement portfolio reflects a strict preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted without set-asides for 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or other socioeconomic programs. This approach aligns with the Telecommunications Division’s operational imperatives, which prioritize technical capability, scalability, and mission-readiness over socioeconomic targeting, ensuring rapid deployment of mission-critical infrastructure. Her technical expertise centers on NAICS 541519 (Other Computer Related Services), encompassing network design, managed services, fiber optic deployment, secure cloud connectivity, and telecommunications systems integration. She routinely procures services related to DoD-wide network modernization, encrypted data transport, and infrastructure resilience, demonstrating deep familiarity with DoD Information Network (DoDIN) standards and commercial telecom best practices.