Tony Salinas

Tony Salinas serves as a key procurement professional within the Office of Acquisition and Grants Management at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where he supports the strategic acquisition of technical and professional services critical to modernizing Medicare and Medicaid systems. His responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of contract actions—solicitation, evaluation, award, and administration—primarily focused on computer systems design services. He plays a pivotal role in advancing the agency’s mission to enhance program efficiency, beneficiary experience, and cybersecurity through digital transformation initiatives, ensuring acquisitions align with federal procurement regulations and strategic modernization goals. Salinas maintains a consistent working relationship with Rocket Media Group, LLC, a primary contractor delivering IT modernization and systems design solutions. His procurement approach emphasizes collaboration with vendors capable of delivering agile, data-driven platforms that support CMS’s evolving digital infrastructure. While Rocket Media Group, LLC is the most frequently engaged partner, his portfolio also includes a balanced mix of large and small business contractors, reflecting a deliberate effort to foster innovation through diverse vendor engagement. His contracting patterns reflect a strong commitment to socioeconomic diversity, with approximately half of his acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a deliberate emphasis on expanding opportunities for small businesses. The remaining half are open competitions, ensuring broad market access while maintaining competitive rigor. This balanced approach supports both equitable participation and mission-critical performance. Salinas specializes exclusively in NAICS 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services), procuring end-to-end IT solutions including system architecture, software development, data integration, and cybersecurity enhancements. His technical focus centers on modernizing legacy systems, implementing cloud-based platforms, and deploying analytics tools that improve program integrity and beneficiary services across Medicare and Medicaid operations.