Sovanna Sampels

Sovanna Sampels serves as a Contract Specialist at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (HDTRA1), where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisitions to support national security missions centered on countering weapons of mass destruction. She manages the full lifecycle of procurements for technical solutions in threat detection, forensic analysis, and advanced defense systems, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and mission-critical timelines. Her work directly enables HDTRA1’s scientific and operational capabilities by securing cutting-edge technologies and analytical services essential to mitigating chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive threats. Sovanna maintains strategic relationships with leading technical contractors including TECHTRANS INTERNATIONAL INC, BATTELLE MEMORIAL INSTITUTE, AERIS LLC, APPLIED RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC., and AMAZON WEB SERVICES, INC. These partnerships reflect a focus on high-caliber, mission-aligned vendors capable of delivering advanced R&D, systems integration, and cloud-based analytical platforms. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical rigor, and long-term vendor collaboration to support sustained innovation in high-consequence domains. Her procurement portfolio is predominantly open competition, with 83.3% of awards issued under no set-aside, reflecting the specialized nature of required capabilities. However, she consistently allocates 16.7% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a measured commitment to small business participation without compromising mission integrity or technical requirements. Sovanna’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334111 (Electronic Computer Manufacturing), supporting the acquisition of specialized hardware for threat detection systems. She also regularly procures services under NAICS 541380 (Testing Laboratories and Services) and 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), with additional activity in 238390 for specialized facility upgrades. Her expertise spans secure computing infrastructure, laboratory testing protocols, and technical consulting services critical to HDTRA1’s scientific and operational readiness.