Robin Blakely

Robin Blakely serves as a Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) for the Southern Research Station under the U.S. Forest Service’s Department of Agriculture, where she ensures technical compliance and operational integrity across awarded contracts. In this critical role, she acts as the primary liaison between the agency and contractors, overseeing performance, deliverables, and adherence to federal procurement standards. Her responsibilities center on supporting field-based research infrastructure through the acquisition of janitorial and facility maintenance services essential to sustaining research site readiness, environmental compliance, and safe operational conditions. Blakely’s acquisitions are strictly focused on service-based contracts that enable the uninterrupted function of ecological monitoring stations and field laboratories. Blakely maintains a consistent working relationship with LSG MANAGEMENT, LLC, the agency’s primary contractor for janitorial and facility support services. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term, performance-based partnerships with vendors who demonstrate reliability, regulatory compliance, and alignment with the Station’s environmental stewardship goals. She actively engages contractors in site-specific requirements, ensuring service delivery meets the unique demands of remote and ecologically sensitive research locations. Blakely’s contracting portfolio is fully aligned with small business set-asides, with 100% of her acquisitions designated under the Total Small Business Set-Aside provisions of FAR 19.5. She is a dedicated advocate for small business participation, consistently awarding contracts to firms certified as small businesses under SBA guidelines, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to equitable economic opportunity and community-based service providers. Her primary procurement focus is on NAICS 561720 (Janitorial Services), reflecting her specialization in custodial, waste management, sanitation, and facility upkeep services tailored to federal research environments. Blakely’s technical expertise lies in ensuring these services meet stringent environmental and biosecurity standards required for sensitive forest research sites, making her a key enabler of the Station’s mission to sustain ecological science through reliable, compliant, and mission-critical support services.