Thelma Edmunds

Thelma Edmunds serves as the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) Small Business Advocate, where she champions equitable access to federal contracting opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses. In this role, she advises on procurement strategy, ensures compliance with small business goals, and facilitates outreach to ensure diverse vendors are positioned to compete for Department of State contracts. Her work is integral to advancing the agency’s mission of inclusive economic opportunity through strategic sourcing, with a focus on simplifying acquisition pathways and enhancing transparency for small business participants. While specific contractor relationships are not publicly enumerated, Thelma collaborates extensively with small business prime contractors and subcontractors across a range of service sectors, fostering partnerships that align with Department of State operational needs. She actively promotes mentor-protégé programs and encourages teaming arrangements between small businesses and larger contractors to build capacity and ensure sustained participation in federal procurement. Her approach emphasizes relationship-building, education, and proactive engagement to strengthen the small business pipeline. Thelma demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with approximately 13.3% of her procurement activity designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. While the majority of acquisitions (86.7%) are unrestricted, she consistently advocates for the use of socioeconomic set-asides—including 8(a), HUBZone, and Women-Owned Small Business programs—where appropriate to meet statutory goals. Her efforts reflect a balanced strategy that prioritizes competition while advancing equity in federal contracting. Her primary procurement focus centers on professional services, particularly in security and patrol services (NAICS 561612), facilities support (561210), and management consulting (541611 and 541618), with notable activity in commercial and institutional construction (236220). She specializes in acquiring mission-critical support services that sustain diplomatic operations abroad and at home, demonstrating deep expertise in service-based contracting within the foreign affairs ecosystem.