Raelynn Hermanyhorses

Raelynn Her Many Horses serves as a Contract Specialist within the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education, where she plays a critical role in executing procurements that advance federal trust responsibilities to federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native villages. Her work centers on acquiring goods and services that support tribal self-determination, with a focus on educational infrastructure, facility modernization, and essential operational support. She manages the full lifecycle of contract actions—from solicitation and evaluation to award and administration—ensuring compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation and tribal sovereignty principles. Her acquisitions are strategically aligned with the agency’s mission to improve educational outcomes, enhance public safety, and strengthen tribal governance through targeted contracting. Her primary contractor relationships include SEALASKA CONSTRUCTORS LLC, TEPA EC, LLC, GOLDBELT HAWK L.L.C., CGI FEDERAL INC., and COOPER ZIETZ ENGINEERS, INC., reflecting a blend of experienced tribal economic enterprises and federal service providers with demonstrated capacity in complex, culturally sensitive environments. She cultivates long-term partnerships with vendors who understand the unique logistical, geographic, and cultural contexts of reservation-based operations, prioritizing reliability, cultural competency, and performance accountability. While the majority of her acquisitions are conducted without set-asides (67.4%), she consistently leverages the Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE) set-aside program—unique to the Department of the Interior and Indian Health Service—to prioritize economically disadvantaged Native-owned businesses. She also supports broader small business participation through Total Small Business Set-Asides, demonstrating a deliberate commitment to expanding economic opportunity within tribal communities. Her procurement focus is heavily concentrated in NAICS 611710 (Educational Support Services), reflecting her central role in advancing BIE’s educational mission. She also regularly procures security services (561612, 561621), food service contracts (722310), and administration of education programs (923110), showcasing deep expertise in operational and mission-critical support services tailored to remote and underserved tribal communities.