Rita J. Loper

Rita J. Loper serves as a Supervising Contracting Officer within the USDA Forest Service, overseeing the acquisition of critical infrastructure, environmental, and operational support services essential to managing the nation’s forest and grassland ecosystems. In this leadership role, she ensures compliance with federal procurement regulations while advancing the agency’s mission of ecological restoration, wildfire mitigation, and emergency response readiness. Her portfolio primarily includes construction, engineering, and environmental consulting contracts, often executed in remote and high-risk terrains requiring specialized technical expertise and rapid deployment capabilities. She plays a pivotal role in aligning procurement strategy with operational priorities across national forests and grasslands. Loper maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors specializing in heavy civil construction, environmental services, and workforce solutions. Key partners include ACI FEDERAL INC and AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC for engineering and technical support, ONE STOP RECRUITING LLC for specialized staffing, GONDO ROY E MD for medical services in field operations, and THE LOCUMS CO, LLC for temporary clinical personnel. These partnerships reflect a focus on vendors with proven experience in federal land management environments and the ability to operate under challenging logistical conditions. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Loper consistently prioritizes small business set-asides, with 93.9% of her awards designated under the FAR 19.5 Total Small Business Set-Aside program. Her contracting patterns demonstrate a strong commitment to socioeconomic programs, ensuring opportunities for small, disadvantaged, and community-based firms to contribute to mission-critical projects. This focus enhances competition, fosters regional economic development, and supports the Forest Service’s broader equity goals. Her primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction) and 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction), reflecting the agency’s need for resilient infrastructure in rugged terrain. She also frequently procures environmental consulting services (541620) and specialty trade contracting (238990), demonstrating expertise in ecological restoration, erosion control, and habitat improvement projects requiring technical precision and regulatory compliance.