Competition Advocates and Task-Order and Delivery Order Ombudsman

There are two senior agency positions dedicated to ensuring full and open competition as a part of the federal contracting process: Competition Advocates and Task-Order and Delivery Order Ombudsman.

Competition Advocates are responsible for:

• Promoting full and open competition;
• Promoting the acquisition of commercial items;
• Removing barriers to full and open competition such as unnecessarily restrictive statements of work, overly detailed specification and burdensome contract clauses.

Each federal agency and procuring activity will have a Competition Advocate.

Task Order and Delivery Order Ombudsman are responsible for:

• Addressing contractor concerns regarding compliance with task/delivery order award procedures;
• Reviewing contractor complaints on task/delivery order contracts;
• Ensuring all contractors are afforded a fair opportunity to be considered for each task/delivery order, consistent with FAR 16.505(b); and
• When requested, maintaining strict confidentiality of the contractor requesting assistance.

The Task Order and Delivery Order Ombudsman may also be the agency’s Competition Advocate.

Agency and Component Competition Advocates and Task-Order and Delivery Order Ombudsman

Below lists the Competition Advocates and Task-Order and Delivery Order Ombudsman for the Department of Homeland Security and our component agencies.  Please note that both positions may be filled by a single individual.

Department Competition Advocate

Tom Mason, Director of Strategic Initiatives
Office of the Chief Procurement Officer
thomas.mason@dhs.gov
202-447-5263 (office)

Procuring Activity Competition Advocates (PACAS)

Department Headquaters

Jan Wisor, Chief of Staff
Office of Procurement Operations
jan.wisor@dhs.gov
202-447-5549 (office)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Stephen Orsino, Director
Office of Acquisition Program & Planning
stephen.orsino@dhs.gov
202-646-2602 (office)

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)

Gregory Carver
Deputy Assistant Director for Administration
gregory.carver@dhs.gov
912-267-2401 (office)

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Richard Gunderson
Assistant Administrator for Acquisition
richard.gunderson@dhs.gov
571-227-1578 (office)

U.S. Coast Guard

Claire M. Grady, Director of Contracting and Procurement
Head of Contracting Activity
claire.m.grady@uscg.dhs.gov
202-475-3751 (office)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Competition Advocate

James (Mouse) Neumeister
Director, Investment Management
Office of Finance
mouse.neumeister@dhs.gov
202-344-3312

CBP Task/Delivery Order Ombudsman

Diane Sahakian
diane.sahakian@dhs.gov
202-344-1123
202-344-1190 (fax)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Theresa Bertucci, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management
theresa.bertucci@dhs.gov
202-616-2880 (office)

U.S. Secret Service (USSS)

Jane Murphy, Deputy Assistant Director
Office of Administration
jane.murphy@usss.dhs.gov
202-406-5780 (office)

This page was last reviewed/modified on March 5, 2008.