Zalma A. Ross

Zalma A. Ross serves as a Contracting Officer within the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), part of the Department of Commerce, where she plays a pivotal role in advancing the agency’s mission to modernize intellectual property systems and secure digital infrastructure. She is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of acquisition programs, from requirements definition and solicitation to contract award and administration, with a focus on IT modernization, cybersecurity, and digital examination platforms. Her acquisitions support the development and maintenance of mission-critical systems that enable efficient patent and trademark processing, public access to IP databases, and secure data management across federal and external stakeholder networks. Ross maintains a focused contracting relationship with IP.COM I, LLC, and Innovative Transducer Implementation, LLC, both of which provide specialized technology solutions aligned with USPTO’s innovation goals. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, ensuring technical alignment with evolving digital examination needs and robust system integration. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in intellectual property software, data analytics, and secure cloud-based infrastructure, enabling scalable and resilient service delivery. A defining feature of Ross’s contracting profile is her exclusive use of Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to expanding economic opportunity for small businesses. Every acquisition she manages is reserved for small business concerns, reinforcing the USPTO’s dedication to equitable contracting and socioeconomic growth. This pattern underscores her alignment with federal mandates to prioritize small business participation in high-impact technology initiatives. While NAICS data is not currently available, her portfolio clearly centers on IT services, software development, and digital system integration for intellectual property administration. She procures advanced software tools, secure data management platforms, and user-facing digital interfaces that support patent and trademark examiners and the public, reflecting deep technical familiarity with the unique demands of IP systems modernization.