Roland Simpkins

Roland Simpkins serves as a Contract Specialist within the Contracts and Acquisitions Management unit of the U.S. Department of Education, where he plays a pivotal role in executing strategic procurements that advance federal education policy and institutional capacity. He manages the full lifecycle of professional services contracts, with a primary focus on management consulting engagements that support evidence-based decision-making, regulatory compliance, and the modernization of federal student aid and data collection systems. His work directly enables the agency’s mission to strengthen the infrastructure underpinning postsecondary education oversight and research initiatives. Simpkins maintains a consistent working relationship with LPE-STRATEGIES LLC, a key contractor providing specialized advisory services in education policy and program evaluation. His procurement patterns reflect a preference for long-term, performance-based partnerships with firms capable of delivering high-level analytical and strategic support. He engages primarily with firms possessing deep domain expertise in education systems, ensuring alignment with federal priorities and compliance with statutory requirements. His contracting approach reflects a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals, with equal distribution between open competition and Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. He actively prioritizes small business participation, ensuring opportunities for qualified small businesses to compete for contracts aligned with the agency’s technical needs, while maintaining rigorous standards for contractor capability and performance. Simpkins specializes exclusively in NAICS 541618—Other Management Consulting Services—procuring expert advisory services in education policy analysis, program evaluation, data governance, and institutional capacity building. His acquisitions consistently support technical domains such as federal student aid compliance, institutional reporting systems, and research-driven policy development, requiring contractors with proven experience in federal education frameworks and rigorous methodological standards.