Peter LaDuke

Pete LaDuke serves as a key procurement lead within the Stewardship Contracting Branch of the U.S. Forest Service, responsible for executing landscape-scale stewardship contracts that integrate ecological restoration with timber harvesting and infrastructure maintenance. His work directly supports the agency’s mission to enhance forest resilience, reduce wildfire risk, and protect watershed health through performance-based, results-oriented contracting. He specializes in complex, multi-objective acquisitions under the Stewardship Contracting authority, often combining timber sales with non-timber outputs such as hazardous fuel reduction, trail rehabilitation, and invasive species control. These procurements require careful balancing of environmental outcomes and economic value, demanding deep technical knowledge of forest management practices and federal contracting regulations. LaDuke maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of experienced contractors including Brink Brothers Inc., Peak Engineering LLC, AZ Hammer Down, LLC, Gabino D. Grano, and Gladhart LLC. These vendors are selected for their proven capacity to deliver integrated forest restoration services across diverse terrains and regulatory frameworks. His procurement approach favors partners with demonstrated expertise in ecological restoration, heavy equipment operations, and compliance with NEPA and National Forest Management Act requirements. The relationships are characterized by long-term collaboration, performance tracking, and a shared commitment to sustainable outcomes. LaDuke’s contracting portfolio reflects a strict preference for full and open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside designation. This approach prioritizes technical capability and operational readiness over socioeconomic classifications, ensuring the selection of the most qualified performers for complex, high-stakes restoration projects. While small businesses are not formally set aside, many of the contractors he engages are small or mid-sized firms with specialized forest service expertise. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 115310—Support Activities for Forestry—encompassing services such as prescribed burning, road decommissioning, stream restoration, and forest thinning. He exclusively procures performance-based, outcome-driven contracts that require technical proficiency in silviculture, ecosystem science, and federal environmental compliance, making him a specialist in integrated forest management contracting.