Tracy Pope

Tracy Pope serves as a Contracting Officer within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, Office of Acquisition and Supply Chain Management (OAS PCMB), where she leads the acquisition of advanced analytical and laboratory capabilities critical to safeguarding the nation’s meat, poultry, and egg supply. Her portfolio centers on securing cutting-edge diagnostic instrumentation, in-vitro diagnostic reagents, and data analytics platforms that enable real-time detection of biological and chemical hazards. She manages full lifecycle procurements under FAR Part 15, including complex RFPs for scientific equipment, laboratory services, and high-precision testing systems, ensuring alignment with FSIS’s science-driven mission and regulatory compliance standards. Tracy cultivates strategic relationships with specialized vendors in analytical instrumentation, clinical diagnostics, and accredited testing laboratories. She regularly engages with manufacturers of laboratory-grade equipment, niche providers of molecular detection kits, and certified testing service providers with validated methodologies. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical evaluation, performance-based requirements, and vendor responsiveness to rapidly evolving public health threats, fostering partnerships with firms capable of delivering scalable, validated solutions under strict quality control protocols. Her procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 93.3% of acquisitions conducted without set-asides, indicating a focus on technical merit and capability over socioeconomic preferences. Nevertheless, she consistently supports small business participation, with 6.7% of awards directed toward total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a balanced commitment to both mission-critical performance and broad vendor access. Tracy’s primary NAICS focus includes 811219 (Other Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Repair), 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), and 325413 (In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing), reflecting her specialization in procuring high-complexity diagnostic systems, laboratory consumables, and precision testing services. Her expertise lies in acquiring technologies that enable rapid pathogen identification, chemical residue screening, and real-time surveillance—core capabilities underpinning the agency’s food safety enforcement mission.