Ray Darling - Contract Specialist

Raymond C. Darling serves as a Contract Specialist with the 241-NETWORK Contract Office 01 (36C241) under the Department of Veterans Affairs, where he plays a pivotal role in executing strategic acquisitions to sustain and modernize critical healthcare infrastructure. His responsibilities include managing full lifecycle procurement processes for medical equipment, facility systems, and engineering services essential to VA medical center operations. Darling specializes in complex acquisitions involving electromedical instrumentation, environmental control systems, and facility maintenance solutions, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and VA mission priorities centered on clinical reliability and veteran care. He maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors, including EPERNAY DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION LLC, MCKENZIE CONSTRUCTION & SITE DEVELOPMENT LLC, P.D.S. CONSULTANTS, INC., L1 ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED, and SOUTH MIDDLESEX OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL, INC. These partnerships reflect a balanced mix of general construction, specialized engineering, and community-based service providers, indicating a preference for vendors with proven expertise in healthcare facility adaptation and technical support. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes and long-term vendor reliability over transactional engagements. Darling demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with an equal split between no set-aside and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-asides, aligning with VA’s mandate to prioritize veteran-owned enterprises. This pattern underscores his dedication to advancing veteran economic opportunity while maintaining rigorous acquisition integrity. His procurement strategy consistently leverages SDVOSB capabilities to meet mission-critical needs across VA facilities. His primary technical focus lies in NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services) and 238330 (Flooring Contractors), reflecting a dual emphasis on technical design and facility infrastructure modernization. He procures specialized engineering analyses, medical equipment integration services, and high-performance flooring systems tailored to clinical environments, demonstrating deep domain knowledge in healthcare facility compliance, infection control standards, and ADA-accessible construction practices.