Richard Hawthorne

Richard Hawthorne serves as the primary procurement lead for the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Office of Acquisition and Procurement, overseeing mission-critical acquisitions that support scientific research infrastructure at federal experimental stations and field labs. He manages a diverse portfolio of contracts for advanced laboratory instrumentation, precision environmental control systems, and specialized facility maintenance services, ensuring the operational resilience of USDA’s research ecosystem. His work directly enables data-driven agricultural science by securing high-precision equipment and technical services essential to modern agronomic and biochemical research. Hawthorne maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including McKenzie Construction & Site Development LLC, Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, and L1 Enterprises Incorporated. These partnerships reflect a strategic focus on integrated solutions—combining construction, technical instrumentation, and specialized maintenance—to support complex research environments. He prioritizes vendors with proven expertise in delivering turnkey systems for controlled-environment facilities and laboratory-grade equipment, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in technical compliance and performance accountability. His procurement strategy demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with 56.7% of awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate effort to expand opportunities for small, disadvantaged, and locally based firms capable of delivering niche technical services. While no set-aside remains a significant component of his portfolio, his consistent use of small business set-asides underscores a proactive alignment with federal socioeconomic goals and a preference for agile, specialized suppliers. Hawthorne’s primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), reflecting his leadership in acquiring mass spectrometers, chromatography systems, and other high-end research tools. He also regularly procures services under NAICS 541380 (Testing Laboratories) and 811210 (Precision Equipment Repair), alongside specialized infrastructure support under NAICS 238220. His domain expertise lies in the acquisition of mission-critical scientific hardware and integrated facility systems that sustain the USDA’s research infrastructure in precision agriculture and environmental science.