Sharon L. Roland

Sharon L. Roland serves as a Contract Specialist with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), where she plays a pivotal role in executing procurements that advance the agency’s mission of modernizing rail safety and operational resilience. She manages the full lifecycle of complex acquisitions, from requirement development and market research to contract award and administration, with a focus on engineering services, custom software development, and real estate support. Her work directly enables critical initiatives in rail infrastructure inspection, human factors analysis, and predictive modeling for capacity planning, ensuring that technical solutions align with federal standards and performance-based outcomes. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Sharon cultivates strategic partnerships with firms possessing deep expertise in transportation engineering, data analytics, and systems integration. She regularly engages with both large prime contractors and specialized small businesses to deliver innovative, mission-critical solutions. Her procurement approach emphasizes competitive bidding, rigorous technical evaluation, and performance-based contract structures to ensure accountability and technical excellence across all awarded efforts. Sharon demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with 75% of her acquisitions conducted under full and open competition and 25% competitively set aside for 8(a) certified small businesses. She actively promotes equitable access to federal opportunities for disadvantaged firms, consistently incorporating 8(a) participation into her acquisition strategies while adhering to statutory requirements and fostering long-term vendor development. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services), where she secures technical expertise for rail safety systems and infrastructure assessments. She also frequently procures custom computer programming services (NAICS 541511) for data-driven modeling tools and real estate appraisal services (NAICS 531320) to support FRA facility management. Sharon’s domain expertise spans transportation engineering, predictive analytics, and regulatory compliance, making her a key enabler of the FRA’s technology-driven modernization agenda.