Steven M. Prado

Steven Prado serves as a key procurement professional within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), supporting the agency’s mission to advance environmental science through the acquisition of specialized instrumentation, data systems, and operational support services. He manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on scientific equipment, environmental monitoring technologies, and facility-related services critical to NOAA’s oceanographic, atmospheric, and coastal research operations. His work ensures timely delivery of mission-critical capabilities that enhance weather forecasting, marine ecosystem monitoring, and climate resilience initiatives, aligning procurement strategy with the agency’s scientific and operational priorities. Prado maintains consistent partnerships with a select group of contractors including Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, Tronconi Segarra & Associates LLP, JNB Services LLC, Pure Enviro-Management, LLC, and The Regents of the University of Colorado. These relationships reflect a blend of academic, technical services, and niche manufacturing vendors capable of delivering customized environmental sensors, data acquisition systems, and facility maintenance solutions. His contracting approach emphasizes collaboration with firms possessing domain-specific expertise in instrumentation and environmental compliance, fostering long-term vendor engagement grounded in technical reliability and regulatory adherence. A strong advocate for small business inclusion, Prado consistently prioritizes Small Business Set-Aside procurements under FAR 19.5, with over 54% of his awards designated for small businesses. This pattern underscores a deliberate strategy to cultivate a diverse supplier base capable of supporting NOAA’s specialized technical needs while advancing socioeconomic equity in federal contracting. His portfolio reflects minimal use of full and open competitions, demonstrating a clear preference for targeted set-asides that empower qualified small and mid-sized vendors. His primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 334519 and 334511, reflecting deep engagement in the manufacture and integration of precision environmental measuring and control devices, as well as nautical and atmospheric instrumentation. He also routinely acquires janitorial and building support services under NAICS 561720 and 561790, ensuring operational continuity at NOAA field stations and research facilities. This blend of high-technology and facility support acquisitions highlights his expertise in balancing cutting-edge scientific procurement with mission-enabling logistics.