Verna D. Teat

Verna D. Teat serves as a Contracting Officer within the Property Management - Co under the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Prisons, where she manages the acquisition of critical behavioral health and reentry support services for incarcerated and transitioning populations. Her procurement responsibilities center on securing residential and outpatient mental health and substance use treatment programs that align with the agency’s mission of promoting successful community reintegration. She oversees the full lifecycle of service-based contracts, from requirements determination and market research to solicitation, evaluation, and award, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and mission-driven outcomes. While specific contractor relationships are not publicly enumerated, Ms. Teat consistently engages with a broad spectrum of qualified service providers, including nonprofit behavioral health organizations, licensed clinical service firms, and community-based reentry programs. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for experienced vendors capable of delivering evidence-based treatment models and coordinated care across correctional and community settings. She fosters collaborative vendor partnerships grounded in performance metrics, data transparency, and compliance with HIPAA and other healthcare privacy standards. Ms. Teat’s set-aside preferences are overwhelmingly aligned with open competition, with 95.7% of acquisitions conducted without socioeconomic set-asides. Nevertheless, she maintains a consistent, albeit modest, commitment to small business participation, with 4.3% of awards designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting her adherence to federal small business goals while prioritizing service quality and capacity. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 621420 (Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers), which accounts for 62.5% of her portfolio, and NAICS 623990 (Other Residential Care Facilities), representing 37.5%. She specializes in acquiring clinical treatment services, case management, peer support, and transitional housing programs, demonstrating deep expertise in behavioral health contracting within correctional and post-release environments.