Virginia A. Grisham

Virginia A. Grisham serves as a Contract Specialist at the Federal Correctional Institution Petersburg, operating under the Bureau of Prisons within the Department of Justice. In this role, she is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of procurement actions to support the institution’s mission of delivering safe, secure, and humane subsistence services to incarcerated populations. Her acquisitions primarily focus on food supply chains, perishable food manufacturing, and essential operational infrastructure, ensuring dietary compliance, nutritional integrity, and cultural/religious accommodation in meal service delivery. She exercises sound contracting judgment under FAR Part 12 and Part 13, often utilizing simplified acquisition procedures for high-volume, low-risk requirements while maintaining strict adherence to federal food safety and sanitation standards. Grisham maintains consistent working relationships with a network of food manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and specialized vendors capable of meeting the Bureau of Prisons’ stringent dietary and logistical requirements. Her vendor partnerships include firms experienced in producing religiously compliant meals, allergen-free products, and shelf-stable or refrigerated food items suitable for institutional use. She collaborates closely with suppliers who demonstrate reliability in cold-chain logistics, batch traceability, and compliance with USDA and FDA regulations, ensuring seamless delivery to correctional facilities. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong commitment to small business participation, with over 38% of awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. While 8(a) competed set-asides are minimal, her portfolio consistently prioritizes small business eligibility, aligning with federal goals to expand economic opportunity. She strategically leverages socioeconomic programs to foster vendor diversity while maintaining operational continuity and cost-effectiveness. Grisham’s primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 311991 (Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing), reflecting her specialization in ready-to-serve, institutional-grade meals. She also routinely procures meat and produce through merchant wholesalers (NAICS 424470 and 424480), and engages religious organizations for culturally appropriate food services. Her technical expertise lies in navigating the intersection of food safety, dietary restrictions, and large-scale institutional logistics within the federal corrections environment.