Tarri McKinney

Tarri McKinney serves as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for the Southern Research Station within the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. In this role, she provides critical oversight of technical performance, contract compliance, and deliverable acceptance for field-based research and infrastructure support contracts. Her responsibilities include monitoring contractor adherence to environmental standards, ensuring operational readiness of research sites, and validating the delivery of specialized forestry support services. McKinney plays a pivotal role in advancing the Station’s mission by ensuring that contracted activities directly support ecological monitoring, forest health assessments, and conservation science initiatives through reliable, mission-aligned procurement execution. McKinney maintains a consistent working relationship with LSG Management, LLC, the primary contractor supporting the Station’s operational needs. Her procurement patterns reflect a preference for long-term, performance-based partnerships with vendors capable of delivering integrated field support, equipment maintenance, and environmental compliance services. She engages closely with contractors to ensure alignment with scientific objectives and regulatory requirements, fostering a collaborative oversight model that prioritizes technical accuracy and mission continuity over transactional interactions. McKinney’s contracting portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of acquisitions awarded under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on selecting the most technically qualified providers regardless of socioeconomic status, aligning with the Station’s need for specialized, scalable expertise in forestry operations. While small business participation is not mandated, she ensures all vendors meet stringent performance and compliance thresholds, maintaining a focus on mission effectiveness above socioeconomic preferences. Her primary procurement focus is centered on NAICS 115310 (Support Activities for Forestry), encompassing services such as trail and facility maintenance, ecological data collection support, field laboratory operations, and environmental remediation. McKinney specializes in acquiring technical services that sustain the operational integrity of remote research sites, demonstrating deep domain knowledge in forest science infrastructure and field logistics.