Tawana M. Young

Tawana M. Young serves as a Contract Specialist (GCS Contractor) within the Virginia Contracting Activity, supporting the Defense Intelligence Agency’s mission to acquire advanced technical services for classified intelligence operations. She manages the full lifecycle of complex procurements, including solicitation development, source selection, contract award, and administration, with a focus on research and development, systems design, and custom software solutions that enable real-time data exploitation and mission-critical intelligence processing. Her work directly supports the agency’s priorities in physical and engineering sciences, ensuring timely delivery of high-risk, high-impact capabilities essential to national security. Tawana collaborates with a diverse array of contractors, including specialized technical firms, systems integrators, and niche manufacturers, often engaging vendors with expertise in intelligence-grade hardware, secure software development, and analytical platforms. While specific contractor names are not disclosed, her procurement patterns reflect consistent engagement with firms possessing DoD security clearances and demonstrated experience in classified environments. She fosters collaborative, compliance-driven relationships grounded in FAR regulations and risk-managed acquisition strategies, ensuring accountability and mission alignment across the vendor base. Tawana demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with nearly half of her awards structured as 8(a) competed set-asides and an additional 14.3% designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. Her procurement approach actively prioritizes small business participation, particularly for firms certified under the 8(a) Business Development Program, reflecting a deliberate strategy to expand the pool of qualified, mission-ready vendors while promoting equitable access to defense contracting opportunities. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services), where she sources strategic advisory and systems optimization support, complemented by significant activity in NAICS 334519 for specialized measuring and controlling devices and NAICS 423430 for commercial-off-the-shelf computer hardware and software distribution. This technical blend underscores her expertise in procuring both high-end engineering solutions and integrated IT infrastructure critical to intelligence systems.