Thomas Bales

Thomas Bales serves as a Contract Specialist (contractor) within the DSC Contracting Services Division of the National Park Service, where he plays a pivotal role in managing the acquisition of architectural and engineering services critical to the preservation and modernization of national park infrastructure. His responsibilities include developing solicitation documents, conducting market research, evaluating technical proposals, and administering contracts for complex facility rehabilitation and utility system upgrades across ecologically sensitive and remote sites. Bales specializes in performance-based acquisitions that align with the agency’s mission to maintain historic structures and enhance visitor accessibility while ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations and environmental stewardship standards. Bales maintains long-standing relationships with a select group of highly qualified architectural and engineering firms, including AECOM Technical Services, Inc., Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc., HDR Engineering Inc., and McKenzie Construction & Site Development LLC. These partnerships are characterized by consistent recompetition and performance-driven contract renewals, reflecting a preference for vendors with proven expertise in historic preservation, civil infrastructure, and sustainable design. His procurement approach emphasizes technical excellence, regulatory compliance, and contractor accountability in delivering mission-critical services under stringent environmental and cultural resource constraints. Bales does not utilize socioeconomic set-asides; all acquisitions are conducted as full and open competitions, with 100% of awards issued without 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or other small business set-asides. This reflects a strategic focus on selecting the most technically qualified firms regardless of size or certification, prioritizing specialized capability over socioeconomic preferences to meet the highly technical demands of park infrastructure projects. His procurement portfolio is exclusively focused on NAICS 541310 (Architectural Services), encompassing design, planning, and construction oversight for rehabilitation of historic buildings, water and sewer system upgrades, accessibility improvements, and landscape integration. Bales possesses deep expertise in managing design-build and design-bid-build procurements for complex, mission-sensitive projects requiring adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance.