Rachel Harriott

Rachel Harriott serves as a Contracting Officer within the Contract Administration Services Division (70RCAS) of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Procurement Operations, where she plays a pivotal role in executing the acquisition of professional, scientific, and technical services critical to national security. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle management of contracts for specialized engineering, cybersecurity, and systems analysis support, ensuring alignment with DHS’s operational readiness and systems integrity goals. Harriott specializes in complex service-based procurements that require rigorous technical evaluation and compliance with federal acquisition regulations, particularly in domains requiring high-assurance performance and data integrity. Harriott maintains collaborative, performance-driven relationships with a broad base of qualified vendors specializing in accounting, financial systems, and technical advisory services. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages firms with proven expertise in federal financial compliance, audit support, and mission-critical financial systems modernization. Her contracting approach emphasizes transparency, competitive bidding, and vendor accountability, fostering long-term partnerships grounded in regulatory adherence and mission alignment. Harriott’s procurement activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under non-set-aside authorities. She does not currently utilize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, instead prioritizing merit-based selection based on technical capability, past performance, and cost-effectiveness. This approach ensures broad access to qualified industry partners while maintaining strict compliance with federal acquisition mandates. Her primary focus lies in NAICS 541219 (Other Accounting Services), where she procures specialized financial management, audit readiness, internal control evaluation, and compliance advisory services essential to DHS’s fiscal oversight and operational transparency. Her technical domain expertise centers on financial systems integration, risk-based auditing frameworks, and federal financial reporting standards, making her a key steward of fiscal accountability across DHS mission-critical programs.