Susan C. Bartley

Susan C. Bartley serves as Location Administrative Officer for the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Office of Acquisition and Procurement, where she plays a pivotal role in enabling the nation’s agricultural science mission through strategic facility and infrastructure procurement. She manages the acquisition lifecycle for commercial and institutional building construction projects that support critical research facilities, including laboratories, field stations, and specialized agricultural infrastructure. Her work ensures that ARS research sites maintain operational integrity, regulatory compliance, and technical readiness to advance crop science, pest management, and precision agriculture initiatives. Bartley’s responsibilities include coordinating with technical stakeholders, evaluating contractor capabilities, and ensuring alignment with federal acquisition regulations to deliver mission-critical facilities on schedule and within policy. Bartley maintains consistent procurement relationships with key vendors including Lab Leasing Co. of Stevensville, MD, and Boh Environmental, L.L.C., both of which provide specialized construction, facility modification, and environmental compliance services tailored to federal research environments. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for long-term, performance-based partnerships with vendors experienced in navigating the unique demands of federal research infrastructure, including biocontainment standards, hazardous material handling, and laboratory-specific utility requirements. These relationships are characterized by repeat engagement and a focus on technical reliability over transactional procurement. Her contracting portfolio is evenly split between total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5 and open competitions, demonstrating a deliberate commitment to fostering small business participation in federal research infrastructure projects. She actively leverages small business set-asides to promote economic inclusion while maintaining rigorous standards for technical capacity and compliance. This balanced approach supports both mission needs and socioeconomic objectives without compromising procurement integrity. Bartley’s primary procurement focus is NAICS 236220 — Commercial and Institutional Building Construction — reflecting her specialization in the design, renovation, and construction of research facilities that house high-precision analytical equipment and field-ready agricultural systems. Her domain expertise lies in procuring infrastructure that supports advanced agricultural science, including climate-controlled labs, greenhouse complexes, and biosecurity-compliant buildings essential to USDA’s research mission.