Roxane S. Burkett

Accomplished acquisition leader with extensive experience overseeing a $430 million annual portfolio of commercial services, research and development (R&D), information technology, and supply contracts for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and other NIH Institutes. Proven track record of managing a diverse team of seven professionals (GS-11 to GS-14). Demonstrated commitment to technical expertise, staff development, and process innovation, delivering impactful results in a dynamic contracts office environment.

• Led a team of seven full-time employees (GS-11 to GS-14), including Section Chiefs, Contracting Officers, and Specialists, overseeing procurement and contract management.
• Spearheaded the CAMS to NBS PRISM migration, unifying acquisition systems, and enhancing lifecycle efficiency.
• Developed and enforced branch-wide policies, procedures, and strategic initiatives to ensure compliance and operational success.
• Ensured customer satisfaction, timely acquisitions, and policy adherence across all branch activities.
• Organized and led branch-wide training sessions and meetings on acquisition policies and updates.
• Mentored GS-14 Section Chiefs and facilitated Branch Leadership meetings to drive strategic goals.
• Supported the OA Director in portfolio reviews with the NHLBI Director, recommending agency-wide acquisition improvements.
• Streamlined OA processes through policy enhancements, procedural development, and internal reviews.
• Provided technical leadership and resolved complex procurement issues for contracting and program staff.
• Onboarded and trained new staff in acquisition policies, procedures, and advisory services.
• Served as a key member of the OA Senior Leadership Team, delivering presentations and strategic advice.
• Acted as the Contracting Officer for critical NHLBI acquisitions, ensuring mission success.
• Demonstrated expertise in FAR, HHSAR, and NIH policies, maintaining compliance across the OA.
• Proactively identified challenges, implemented solutions, and balanced workloads to meet deadlines.
• Delivered briefings and training to senior leadership and customers on acquisition strategies and systems.
• Analyzed complex data sets to identify trends in customer service issues, recommend solutions and implement improvements.

Lead and manage a team of four Contract Specialists, supporting a diverse contract portfolio of $150M in annual obligations. Oversee acquisition strategy, execution, and compliance for contracts in commercial services, information technology services, simplified acquisitions, and research & development (R&D). Provide strategic direction, ensure effective procurement planning, and drive operational excellence in support of agency mission objectives.

• Served as Acting Branch Chief within the Office of Acquisition (OA) for a period of two years, managing operations and overseeing a branch portfolio by developing and implementing policies, procedures, and strategies to ensure operational success, customer service, and compliance with acquisition timelines and standards.
• Directed branch-wide initiatives, including organizing training-focused branch meetings and leadership meetings to mentor GS-14 section chiefs, while supervising staff, ensuring timely workload completion, and communicating policy and staffing updates.
• Collaborated with the OA Director on acquisition portfolio reviews for the NHLBI Director, contributed to acquisition strategy alignment, and streamlined OA processes through policy improvement, procedural development, and enhanced oversight.
• Delivered technical leadership to contracting and program staff, advising on acquisition strategies and resolving complex issues, while serving as Lead Contracting Officer for high-visibility NHLBI and COAC acquisitions, providing briefings and training on acquisition processes and CAMS.
• Contributed to the OA Senior Leadership Team with strategic guidance and presentations, streamlined processes using FAR, HHSAR, and NIH expertise, and mentored staff to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.
• Delivered expert technical guidance to contracting and program staff, shaping acquisition strategies, resolving intricate procurement challenges, and proposing solutions aligned with customer objectives.
• Trained and mentored new staff in acquisition policies, procedures, and business advisory practices, enhancing team capability to meet customer needs effectively.

Dynamic acquisition leader with extensive experience driving operational excellence within the Office of Acquisition (OA), overseeing high-impact projects, and serving as a trusted senior advisor to the OA Director. Proven expertise in managing mission-critical contracts, leading teams, and implementing innovative processes to support NHLBI and COAC objectives, with a strong foundation in FAR, HHSAR, and NIH regulations.

• Directed all OA projects as Project Manager, ensuring timely, on-budget completion of milestones, while managing nine contractor staff members responsible for contract closeouts, invoicing, and CAMS administration; established shared services to streamline previously disorganized processes into a metrics-driven operation.
• Served as Lead Contracting Officer for high-visibility NHLBI and COVID-19 contracts, including RADx Tiger Team contributions to develop templates and policies, while providing strategic briefings and training to senior leadership and stakeholders on acquisition strategies and systems.
• Acted as a change agent and senior advisor, facilitating OA All Hands, retreats, and leadership training, representing the OA Director as a liaison with NHLBI offices, and guiding the Senior Leadership Team with actionable insights and organized action plans.
• Enhanced OA efficiency by leveraging critical thinking to resolve complex issues, balance workloads, and introduce process improvements, consistently taking on additional responsibilities to support the OA Director, and ensure organizational success.

Seasoned acquisition professional with a proven record as Lead Contracting Officer, delivering high-visibility contracts for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Consolidated Office of Acquisition's Center (COAC) customers, while driving pre-award, award, and post-award excellence. Recognized as a top advisor by senior leadership, with extensive expertise in FAR, HHSAR, and NIH policies, complemented by a talent for mentoring staff and optimizing acquisition systems like CAMS and NBS.

Resume Bullets:

• Spearheaded critical NHLBI initiatives as Lead Contracting Officer, managing high-profile R&D and SBIR contracts, conducting cost analyses, leading negotiations, and providing strategic briefings and training on acquisition processes and CAMS to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Administered complex cost-reimbursement research and development contracts, overseeing modifications, expenditure tracking, and compliance using procurement systems like PRISM, while leading a grant-to-contract conversion vital to NHLBI’s mission.
• Enhanced OA operations by leading the PRISM CAMS Working Group, training staff on acquisition systems, and serving as a coach and negotiator, while fostering team collaboration and resolving issues to streamline administrative processes.
• Built strong partnerships with program and contractor staff, applied critical thinking to solve acquisition challenges, and contributed to OA communications and PRISM redesign efforts, earning three QSI awards for exceptional performance.

Dedicated acquisition professional with extensive experience administering high-profile Research & Development contracts for the NIH/NHLBI, including programs on epidemiological studies and Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) initiatives. Skilled in contract management, regulatory compliance (FAR, HHSAR, NIH), and process optimization, with a proven ability to support branch operations and foster effective stakeholder relationships.

Resume Bullets:

• Administered over 30 contracts and other major R&D programs, managing modifications, expenditure tracking, and compliance using systems like PRISM, SAM, FedBizOps, and eSRS, while preparing critical documentation and resolving contractor inquiries under Contracting Officer guidance.
• Executed pre-award and post-award duties for SBIR contracts and simplified acquisitions, including cost analyses, negotiations, and purchase order awards for lab equipment and services, ensuring adherence to FAR, HHSAR, and NIH standards.
• Enhanced branch efficiency by developing invoice processing procedures, tracking deliverables, and maintaining logs for financial and progress reports, while supporting Global Health Initiative pre-award activities, and shadowing Contracting Officers.
• Strengthened operational support through meticulous correspondence management, supply inventory oversight, and database utilization (e.g., DCIS, FedBizOpps, MarkView), complemented by the completion of the 2008 NHLBI Extramural Mentorship Program and 165 hours toward FAC-C Level 1 certification.