Tonya A. Better

Tonya A. Better serves as a Contract Specialist within the Office of Acquisition Management at the Federal Transit Administration, where she plays a pivotal role in executing compliant, transparent, and strategically aligned procurement actions to support federal transit program integrity. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of acquisitions—from market research and solicitation development to contract award and administration—ensuring alignment with FAR regulations and agency mission priorities in financial oversight, program evaluation, and administrative support. She primarily handles service-based contracts critical to sustaining operational excellence across federally funded transit initiatives. While specific contractor names are not available, Tonya routinely engages with a diverse pool of vendors offering administrative, management, and accounting services. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for experienced firms capable of delivering high-integrity advisory services to complex federal programs, fostering long-term partnerships grounded in regulatory compliance and performance accountability. She works closely with both large professional services firms and small business concerns to ensure responsive, mission-driven outcomes. Tonya demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with approximately 25% of her awards designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5 and 6.3% awarded through 8(a) competed processes. While the majority of her acquisitions (68.8%) are unrestricted, her consistent use of small business set-asides underscores a deliberate strategy to expand opportunities for disadvantaged and underserved entrepreneurs in federal transit support services. Her procurement focus is overwhelmingly centered on NAICS 541611—Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services—reflecting her specialization in securing expert advisory support for grant management, program evaluation, and operational efficiency. She also procures niche accounting services under NAICS 541219 and limited hospitality support under NAICS 721110, demonstrating a targeted, mission-aligned approach to acquiring specialized professional services that directly enable the Federal Transit Administration’s stewardship of public transit investments.