Rakeem Bolden

Rakeem Bolden serves as a Procurement Technician for the National Forests in Mississippi, supporting the U.S. Forest Service’s mission to sustainably manage public forest lands through strategic acquisition of operational and infrastructure services. In this role, he facilitates the procurement of critical support activities essential to forest stewardship, including trail and road maintenance, wildfire mitigation infrastructure, and ecological restoration services. He works closely with program managers to translate operational needs into compliant, transparent solicitations under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, ensuring alignment with agency priorities and federal procurement standards. His acquisitions primarily support field-level operations, focusing on timely delivery of services that enhance public safety and ecological resilience. Bolden collaborates with a diverse pool of vendors, predominantly small businesses and specialized contractors experienced in forestry support and land management services. While specific contractor names are not publicly listed, his procurement patterns reflect consistent engagement with firms possessing technical expertise in forest operations, vegetation management, and rural infrastructure maintenance. He fosters collaborative relationships with vendors who demonstrate capacity for rapid response, environmental compliance, and work in remote or sensitive ecological zones, ensuring reliable service delivery across Mississippi’s forested landscapes. Rakeem demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with 82.5% of his acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. His procurement strategy prioritizes broad small business participation, consistently directing opportunities to firms certified as small, including those owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. This pattern reflects a deliberate effort to strengthen local economies and build capacity among Mississippi-based contractors with expertise in forestry and land management. His primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), encompassing services such as prescribed burning, invasive species control, and forest inventory support. He also regularly procures highway and trail construction (237310) and landscaping services (561730), reflecting the agency’s emphasis on infrastructure resilience and public access. His technical expertise lies in acquiring specialized, mission-critical services that sustain the ecological and recreational value of national forest lands.