Zachary Rich

Zachary Rich supports Federal Student Aid’s mission by managing procurement initiatives focused on modernizing the technology infrastructure that powers student financial aid delivery. Though his official title is not listed, his procurement activities center on software development and digital system modernization, particularly in eligibility determination, loan servicing, and data integration platforms. He oversees acquisitions aligned with the agency’s strategic goals of enhancing cybersecurity, streamlining applicant workflows, and ensuring secure, scalable digital services for millions of students and institutions. His work directly enables the operational integrity of federal student aid systems through technology-driven procurement. Rich’s contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for small business participation, with 100% of his acquisitions designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This consistent approach prioritizes equitable access to federal contracts for small, innovative firms, fostering a competitive ecosystem of vendors capable of delivering agile, secure software solutions. He actively cultivates partnerships with small software publishers and emerging technology providers, encouraging collaboration through structured outreach and clear solicitation requirements that lower barriers to entry for underserved contractors. His procurement focus is exclusively centered on NAICS 513210 (Software Publishers), indicating a deep specialization in custom and commercial off-the-shelf software solutions. He procures enterprise-grade applications for student data management, identity verification, payment processing, and secure API integrations, often requiring compliance with FISMA, NIST, and FERPA standards. Rich’s technical domain expertise lies in cloud-native architectures, secure data exchange protocols, and modern software development lifecycles, ensuring that all acquired systems meet the Department of Education’s stringent operational and security requirements.