Tonya Purce

Tonya Purce serves as a key procurement lead within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, specifically supporting the Procurement and Workforce Administration office. She manages strategic acquisitions critical to sustaining and modernizing the nation’s agricultural research infrastructure, with a focus on laboratory instrumentation, facility maintenance, and field research support systems. Her work directly enables scientific missions by ensuring researchers have access to cutting-edge analytical tools and operational resources. Purce typically handles complex, technical procurements under FAR Part 15, often involving competitive negotiations and performance-based requirements for high-precision equipment and specialized technical services. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Purce maintains a balanced partnership model with both large-scale manufacturers of analytical laboratory instruments and niche providers of temporary scientific and technical staffing. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate effort to engage vendors capable of delivering high-reliability, compliance-ready solutions for federally funded research environments. She collaborates closely with suppliers who understand the stringent calibration, documentation, and regulatory standards required in USDA ARS facilities. Purce demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with approximately half of her acquisition portfolio structured as small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a consistent preference for fostering competition among small businesses, particularly those certified as small disadvantaged or women-owned concerns. Her approach aligns with USDA’s broader goals of equitable access to federal research funding and workforce development through targeted contracting. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334516, encompassing the acquisition of analytical laboratory instruments such as mass spectrometers, chromatographs, and environmental sensors essential for agricultural science. She also routinely procures temporary scientific support services under NAICS 561320, ensuring research teams have access to skilled technicians and lab specialists. Purce’s expertise centers on technical domains requiring high accuracy, regulatory compliance, and long-term maintenance support, making her a critical enabler of USDA’s mission in advancing agricultural innovation.