Randa Plotner

Randa Plotner serves as a Purchasing Agent for the Agricultural Research Service’s Office of Acquisition and Procurement (Agency Code: 12505B), where she plays a critical role in securing mission-critical scientific infrastructure and specialized services to support cutting-edge agricultural research. Her procurement portfolio centers on high-precision laboratory instrumentation, including ultra-low-temperature freezers, micro-CT scanners, and sterilization systems, as well as field equipment and analytical services essential to maintaining operational readiness across USDA research facilities. She ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurement strategies with the agency’s scientific priorities, facilitating timely delivery of complex, technically demanding goods and services to support national food security and agricultural innovation. Plotner maintains consistent relationships with a select group of specialized vendors, including MCKENZIE CONSTRUCTION & SITE DEVELOPMENT LLC for facility upgrades, LARKOS PACKING AND DISTRIBUTION INC. for controlled-environment logistics, ARABIC INTERPRETERS LLC for linguistic support in international research collaborations, and AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC for advanced instrumentation integration. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for vendors with demonstrated technical expertise in scientific equipment lifecycle management, installation, and calibration, emphasizing long-term reliability and service support over commodity sourcing. Her procurement strategy prioritizes small business participation, with 43.6% of awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a strong commitment to socioeconomic inclusion. While no single set-aside program dominates, her portfolio consistently opens opportunities for small, technically capable firms capable of meeting the stringent performance requirements of federal research environments. Plotner’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), reflecting her deep specialization in procuring precision scientific instruments for biological and chemical analysis. She also regularly engages suppliers in agricultural equipment manufacturing (333111) and related industrial measurement systems, underscoring her technical fluency in laboratory and field research environments. Her expertise ensures that acquisitions directly enable high-impact scientific outcomes across USDA’s national research network.