Steve Behm

Steve Behm serves as a key procurement lead within the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center’s Management Services Division, overseeing real estate infrastructure acquisitions critical to supporting USDA’s field-level agricultural and conservation operations. Responsible for securing and managing nonresidential leasing arrangements across rural and underserved regions, Behm ensures the agency maintains a scalable, accessible physical footprint to deliver farm assistance, disaster response, and conservation programs. His acquisitions primarily involve long-term lease agreements for office spaces, field service centers, and operational facilities, aligning with the agency’s mission to extend federal presence into remote agricultural communities. Behm maintains a consistent working relationship with McKenzie Construction & Site Development LLC, a contractor specializing in site preparation and facility development, and the Foreign Policy Research Institute Inc., which provides strategic analysis and planning support for infrastructure deployment. These partnerships reflect a pattern of engaging firms with deep regional expertise in property adaptation and policy-informed facility planning, rather than large-scale federal contractors. His procurement approach prioritizes functional suitability and operational continuity over volume, favoring established vendors with proven experience in federal real estate compliance. Behm’s contracting activity shows no use of socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic focus on technical capability and facility readiness over socioeconomic preferences, indicating a procurement environment where mission-critical timing and site-specific expertise outweigh traditional small business targeting criteria. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 531120—Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings—indicating deep expertise in commercial lease negotiation, property assessment, and facility fit-for-purpose evaluation. He specializes in securing turnkey operational spaces that meet USDA’s unique requirements for rural accessibility, security, and integration with agricultural service delivery systems, demonstrating specialized knowledge in federal real property acquisition and facility management.