Sadaf Afkhami

Sadaf Afkhami serves as a Contract Specialist within the Contracts and Acquisitions Management unit of the U.S. Department of Education, where she plays a pivotal role in executing strategic procurements that advance federal education policy and institutional capacity. She manages the full lifecycle of professional services contracts, with a focus on research, analytical, and consulting services that support evidence-based decision-making in postsecondary education. Her work directly enables the agency’s mission to strengthen federal student aid systems, enhance regulatory compliance, and modernize national data infrastructure through targeted acquisition strategies aligned with statutory and regulatory frameworks. Afkhami maintains a consistent working relationship with LPE-STRATEGIES LLC, a primary contractor providing specialized research and management consulting services. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term, performance-based partnerships with vendors capable of delivering high-quality, data-driven solutions in support of complex educational policy initiatives. She engages contractors through competitive solicitation processes, ensuring alignment with federal acquisition regulations and outcome-oriented deliverables. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her awards issued without set-asides, indicating a focus on technical capability and value over socioeconomic designations. While she does not prioritize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, her process remains fully compliant with all socioeconomic requirements and emphasizes merit-based selection. Afkhami’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541720 (Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities), where she secures studies on educational outcomes, equity metrics, and policy evaluation. She also regularly procures services under NAICS 541618 (Management Consulting) and NAICS 611710 (Educational Support Services), reflecting her domain expertise in institutional research, data systems design, and policy implementation support. Her technical acumen spans survey methodology, statistical analysis, and federal compliance frameworks in higher education.