Sonya C. Hickman

Sonya H. Hickman serves as a Contract Specialist for the Deschutes National Forest, part of the U.S. Forest Service under the Department of Agriculture. In this role, she manages the full lifecycle of procurement actions to support the agency’s mission of sustainable land stewardship, including wildfire risk mitigation, trail and infrastructure maintenance, and cultural resource protection. She specializes in acquiring services and construction-related contracts that align with ecological resilience and public safety objectives, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and environmental stewardship standards. Her work directly enables field operations by securing critical support services essential to forest management. Sonya cultivates collaborative relationships with a diverse array of contractors, particularly those experienced in federal land management environments. She regularly engages with specialty trade contractors, landscaping firms, janitorial service providers, and surveying professionals who understand the unique constraints of working within federally protected landscapes. Her contracting approach emphasizes vendor reliability, environmental compliance, and on-site adaptability, fostering long-term partnerships with vendors who demonstrate proven experience in remote, ecologically sensitive areas. Her procurement patterns reflect a strong commitment to socioeconomic goals, with nearly half of her actions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5 and a notable 8.8% allocated to HUBZone firms. While the majority of contracts remain open to all competitors, her consistent use of small business set-asides underscores a deliberate strategy to expand economic opportunity for underserved communities in central Oregon. She actively promotes equitable access to federal contracting opportunities aligned with the Forest Service’s community engagement priorities. Sonya’s primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 561720 (janitorial services), 237310 (highway and bridge construction), and 238990 (specialty trade contracting), with additional emphasis on surveying and landscaping services. These categories support the maintenance of visitor facilities, roadways, trails, and ecological restoration zones. Her technical expertise lies in managing complex, multi-year service contracts requiring environmental permitting, safety compliance, and coordination with tribal and state agencies.