Samantha L. Connors

Samantha L. Connors serves as a key procurement professional responsible for managing complex acquisitions in scientific, engineering, and transportation support services. She plays a critical role in advancing agency missions through strategic contracting for research and development, technical consulting, and specialized logistical support. Her portfolio centers on high-precision, non-biotechnology R&D initiatives, as well as niche transportation support activities requiring technical expertise and regulatory compliance. Connors ensures acquisitions align with federal procurement standards, emphasizing performance-based contracting and rigorous source selection processes to secure mission-critical capabilities from qualified vendors. Her contractor relationships are primarily with professional services firms specializing in physical and engineering sciences, transportation logistics support, and laboratory operations. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages with firms possessing deep technical credentials in analytical research, systems engineering, and operational support for federal infrastructure. Her approach favors competitive, open solicitations with occasional small business set-asides, fostering a balanced vendor ecosystem that prioritizes technical capability and past performance over volume-based preferences. Connors demonstrates a strong preference for unrestricted competition, with 83.3% of her awards issued without set-aside designations. However, she actively supports small business participation through Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a measured commitment to socioeconomic goals without compromising technical requirements. Her contracting patterns indicate a deliberate balance between maximizing competition and ensuring meaningful opportunities for qualified small businesses, particularly in technical service categories where small firms offer innovative solutions. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712, encompassing R&D in physical, engineering, and life sciences—excluding biotechnology—alongside transportation support services under NAICS 488999. She frequently procures laboratory testing, data analysis, systems modeling, and operational support for transportation networks. Her domain expertise includes regulatory-compliant research environments, technical infrastructure development, and specialized services requiring scientific rigor and compliance with federal standards.