Rachel Cole

Rachel Cole serves as a Contracting Officer at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (HDTRA1), where she plays a pivotal role in advancing the agency’s mission to counter weapons of mass destruction through strategic procurement of scientific, technical, and operational support services. She manages complex acquisitions spanning research and development, threat detection systems, and analytical platforms critical to national security. Her portfolio emphasizes high-consequence, mission-critical contracts that require rigorous compliance with DoD acquisition regulations, including FAR and DFARS, and often involve sensitive technologies requiring security clearances and export control adherence. Cole maintains consistent working relationships with leading technical contractors including TECHTRANS INTERNATIONAL INC, BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE, AERIS LLC, APPLIED RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC., and AMAZON WEB SERVICES, INC. These partnerships reflect her focus on securing advanced capabilities in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive threat mitigation. She cultivates long-term vendor collaborations grounded in technical excellence, agile delivery frameworks, and compliance with federal cybersecurity standards, particularly for cloud-based and data-intensive solutions. Her procurement strategy prioritizes equitable opportunity, with nearly half of her awards structured as Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-asides, reflecting a strong commitment to socioeconomic goals. The remaining half are awarded as no-set-aside contracts to ensure access to specialized capabilities not available within the small business base, balancing mission necessity with statutory small business participation targets. Despite the apparent mismatch, Cole’s primary NAICS focus areas—337211 (Wood Office Furniture Manufacturing) and 561110 (Office Administrative Services)—reflect the administrative and infrastructure support functions underpinning HDTRA1’s operational readiness. These categories encompass facility management, logistics coordination, and office systems modernization, which are essential to sustaining the agency’s technical workforce and mission infrastructure. Her expertise lies in aligning administrative procurement with high-stakes defense objectives.