Shannon M. Ely

Shannon M. Ely serves as a Contracting Officer for the Detention Compliance and Removals unit within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, overseeing the acquisition of critical services that support the safe, secure, and compliant detention and removal of individuals under immigration enforcement. Her procurement responsibilities center on ensuring operational readiness through the acquisition of facilities support and security services, aligning with the agency’s mission to uphold detention standards and logistical integrity. She manages a diverse portfolio of contract actions under FAR Part 15, primarily utilizing competitive negotiated procedures to secure mission-critical capabilities across federal detention infrastructure. Ely maintains established relationships with key contractors including B.I. Incorporated, Acentra Health LLC, and Ardent Group, LLC, which provide essential services ranging from facility operations and medical support to security and detainee transportation. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for long-term, performance-based partnerships with vendors capable of delivering scalable, compliant, and mission-aligned solutions. These relationships are characterized by consistent recompetition and performance-driven contract modifications, ensuring accountability and service quality across high-stakes operational environments. Her procurement strategy prioritizes non-set-aside acquisitions at 80%, while maintaining a deliberate 20% allocation to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. Though she does not routinely utilize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, her consistent use of small business set-asides demonstrates a structured commitment to expanding socioeconomic participation without compromising operational requirements. This balanced approach ensures broad vendor competition while supporting small business growth within the national security contracting ecosystem. Ely’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 561210 (Facilities Support Services), which accounts for nearly two-thirds of her portfolio, encompassing maintenance, janitorial, food services, and facility management for detention centers. The remaining third centers on NAICS 561612 (Security Guards and Patrol Services), reflecting her expertise in acquiring armed and unarmed protective services, detainee monitoring, and perimeter security. Her domain knowledge spans detention operations, compliance frameworks, and risk-mitigated logistics, making her a key steward of mission-critical acquisitions in immigration enforcement.