Sephora Calderon

Sephora Calderon supports the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Acquisition and Grant Services in executing mission-critical procurement activities that sustain regulatory science and scientific infrastructure. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on specialized research services, analytical instrumentation support, and advanced computing solutions essential to FDA’s public health mandate. Her work ensures the agency maintains high-precision laboratory capabilities and robust data-driven decision-making systems, directly enabling the evaluation of drug safety, efficacy, and medical device performance. Calderon routinely handles complex service-based contracts under FAR Part 12 and Part 15, with emphasis on professional, scientific, and technical procurement categories. She maintains consistent working relationships with niche scientific and clinical service providers, including Tranquil Clinical and Research Consulting Services LLC, Toxicologic Pathology Associates Inc, and Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc, reflecting a pattern of engagement with specialized vendors offering tailored research, toxicology, and pharmaceutical development support. These partnerships are typically non-commercial, performance-driven, and aligned with FDA’s need for subject-matter expertise in regulated environments. Calderon’s contracting approach prioritizes technical capability, compliance with Good Laboratory Practices, and validated methodological rigor over volume-based sourcing. Her procurement patterns show a strong preference for open competition, with 68.8% of awards issued without set-aside designation, while 31.3% are structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a balanced commitment to leveraging small business innovation while ensuring access to highly specialized technical capacity. She actively facilitates opportunities for small businesses with relevant scientific and IT credentials, particularly those capable of supporting FDA’s regulatory science infrastructure. Calderon’s primary NAICS focus lies in computer-related services—particularly Other Computer Related Services (541519), Custom Computer Programming (541511), and Computer Systems Design (541512)—indicating deep engagement with bioinformatics, data analytics, and laboratory information systems. She also procures specialized services under NAICS 511210 and 325120, demonstrating expertise in niche technical domains including laboratory automation, analytical software development, and industrial gas systems critical to controlled research environments.