Susan Gaines

Susan Gaines serves as a Purchasing Agent for the Coronado National Forest, where she plays a pivotal role in executing procurements that support the U.S. Forest Service’s mission of ecological stewardship and public infrastructure resilience. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on trail and road maintenance, water and sanitation system repairs, fencing, and facility upgrades essential to wildfire mitigation and visitor access. Her work ensures timely delivery of goods and services critical to operational readiness and environmental compliance across southern Arizona’s forested landscapes. Gaines operates within the Federal Acquisition Regulation framework to ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment with agency strategic priorities. Her primary contractor relationship is with HAM TUCSON LLC, a trusted vendor with demonstrated capability in delivering specialized maintenance and construction services tailored to remote, ecologically sensitive environments. Gaines cultivates long-term partnerships with vendors who understand the unique logistical and environmental constraints of federal land management, prioritizing reliability, safety compliance, and minimal ecological disruption. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting and clear deliverables tied to operational outcomes. Gaines demonstrates a steadfast commitment to small business participation, with 100% of her acquisitions structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This consistent preference ensures that local, small, and often family-owned enterprises in southern Arizona have equitable access to federal contracting opportunities, fostering economic development while building a resilient, community-based supplier base. While NAICS data is not currently available, her procurement activity centers on services related to civil construction, land management infrastructure, and environmental maintenance—domains requiring expertise in sustainable practices, hazardous material handling, and federal land-use regulations. Her technical proficiency lies in procuring specialized equipment, labor-intensive maintenance services, and materials suited to high-elevation, fire-prone terrains, ensuring that all acquisitions meet both operational needs and environmental protection standards.