Robert E Risch

Robert Risch serves as a key procurement lead within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, specifically supporting the Procurement and Workforce Administration office under agency code 12905B. He manages acquisition activities critical to sustaining and modernizing the nation’s agricultural research infrastructure, overseeing contracts for laboratory equipment, facility construction, and operational support services essential to scientific missions. His portfolio includes complex procurements for specialized industrial and institutional building construction, hazardous waste management, and industrial gas systems, ensuring research facilities remain compliant, safe, and technologically current. Risch operates at the intersection of scientific need and federal contracting, translating research requirements into actionable acquisition strategies that align with USDA’s mission of advancing agricultural innovation. Risch cultivates partnerships with a diverse array of contractors, primarily small businesses and specialized firms experienced in federal research facility support. He frequently engages vendors with expertise in laboratory infrastructure, environmental compliance, and industrial systems integration, fostering long-term relationships with contractors capable of delivering high-precision, mission-critical solutions under strict federal standards. His procurement approach emphasizes technical capability, regulatory adherence, and performance reliability over cost alone, ensuring that contractors meet the unique demands of USDA’s scientific operations. A strong advocate for socioeconomic inclusion, Risch consistently prioritizes small business participation, with 86.7% of his acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5, and an additional 6.7% competed under the 8(a) program. This reflects a deliberate strategy to expand opportunities for disadvantaged and emerging vendors while maintaining high standards of service delivery. His contracting patterns demonstrate a sustained commitment to fostering a diverse supplier base aligned with federal socioeconomic goals. Risch’s primary procurement focus centers on NAICS codes 236210 and 236220 for industrial and institutional construction, 325120 for industrial gas manufacturing, and 562211/562112 for hazardous waste treatment and collection. These reflect his expertise in procuring mission-enabling infrastructure and environmental compliance services critical to USDA’s research laboratories and field stations, ensuring safe, sustainable, and scientifically robust operational environments.