Richard Skinner

Richard Skinner serves as a key procurement lead within the USDA Forest Service–SPOC NW, overseeing acquisitions critical to the agency’s mission of ecological restoration and infrastructure resilience. He manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on civil engineering and public works projects, including trail and bridge rehabilitation, wildfire mitigation infrastructure, and maintenance of remote administrative and recreational facilities. His work directly supports the agency’s commitment to sustainable forest management and public safety, ensuring that contracting aligns with environmental stewardship and long-term operational needs. Skinner specializes in complex, mission-driven acquisitions requiring technical expertise in heavy civil construction and environmental compliance. His contractor relationships center on firms with proven experience in heavy civil engineering and forest service-specific project delivery. He routinely engages with contractors capable of operating in remote, ecologically sensitive environments, prioritizing those with demonstrated expertise in erosion control, sustainable materials, and wilderness construction practices. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, Skinner fosters collaborative partnerships with vendors who understand federal environmental regulations, including NEPA and ESA requirements, and can deliver under challenging logistical conditions. Skinner demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with nearly 50% of his acquisitions conducted as no set-aside procurements, while 37.5% are reserved for total small business participation under FAR 19.5 and 12.5% specifically for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. His patterns reflect a balanced approach that supports broad small business engagement while ensuring competitive, qualified responses for high-stakes infrastructure projects. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction) and 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction), with supplemental activity in water and sewer line construction under 237110. He procures services related to trail alignment, erosion control structures, culvert installations, and wildfire-resistant infrastructure, requiring deep technical knowledge of federal land management standards and field construction methodologies.