Sara M. McLaurin

Sara McLaurin serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of federal acquisitions, from requirement development and market research to contract award and administration. She plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with FAR regulations and advancing agency mission objectives through strategic sourcing of technical and scientific services. Her portfolio primarily encompasses research and development contracts, technical consulting, and custom software solutions, with a strong emphasis on merit-based, competitive procurements that align with federal acquisition policy and best practices. While no specific contractor relationships are currently identifiable in the data, McLaurin routinely engages with a diverse pool of vendors, including small businesses, research institutions, and technical service providers, fostering transparent and competitive bidding environments. Her procurement approach emphasizes fair and open competition, with a preference for performance-based contracting and clear statement of work definitions to ensure accountability and outcomes-driven deliverables. McLaurin demonstrates a notable commitment to small business participation, with approximately 16.7% of her awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. Though the majority of her acquisitions are conducted as unrestricted procurements (83.3%), she actively promotes small business inclusion through targeted market research and outreach, ensuring eligible firms have equitable access to opportunities without compromising competition or mission needs. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712 and 541690, reflecting deep expertise in physical, engineering, and life sciences research, as well as scientific and technical consulting services. She also regularly procures custom computer programming and specialized technical support, indicating a strong technical acumen in areas such as data analysis, systems modeling, and applied R&D. McLaurin’s work supports mission-critical innovation across scientific domains, ensuring the federal government accesses cutting-edge expertise through compliant, efficient, and strategic contracting.