Office of Acquisition (OA)

What We Do:

The Office of Acquisition and its member branches provide guidance, acquisition services, and assistance to program staff in NCATS, NIDA, NINDS, NIA, and NIMH regarding the procurement of supplies and services to ensure that the COAC's member Institutes obtain technically appropriate services from vendors at contract costs that are fair and reasonable.

The OA performs the following functions:

  • Manages and conducts a comprehensive program of all research and development contracting, non-research and development contracting, station support contracting, commercial item acquisitions using simplified acquisition procedures, GSA Federal Supply Schedule acquisitions and simplified acquisitions for customer ICs
  • Provides advice and assistance regarding all phases of the acquisition cycle from planning to closeout with the purpose of accomplishing all acquisitions needed for the scientific mission and all related acquisitions required by its customers

Subject Matter Expert Contact List

Office of Acquisition (OA)
Name Title Phone Areas of Responsibility
Chris Belt Director (301) 827-5252
  • Provides acquisition oversight and review for the OA, Neuroscience COAC
Brian O’Laughlin Deputy (301) 827-5253  
Suzie Stinson Policy Analyst/Contracting Officer (301) 443-4116
  • Provides acquisition policy and review support to COAC management and staff
Tonya Mansfield Program Specialist (301) 594-1928  
NIDA/NIMH/NINDS Contracts Management Branch
Name Title Phone Areas of Responsibility
Ken Goodling Branch Chief (301) 827-5854
  • Chief Contracting Officer responsible for overseeing all activities relating to NIDA, NIMH and NINDS acquisitions
Nancy Lamon-Kritikos Section Head (301) 480-2447
  • Senior Contracting Officer responsible for overseeing all NINDS acquisitions
Valerie Whipple Section Head (301) 827-5218
  • Senior Contracting Officer responsible for overseeing all NIMH acquisitions
Khurram Shaikh Section Head (301) 827-1111
  • Senior Contracting Officer responsible for overseeing all NIDA acquisitions
NCATS/NIA Contracts Management Branch
Name Title Phone Areas of Responsibility
Scott Bredow Branch Chief (301) 480-7503
  • Oversees all Branch activities for the award and administration of NCATS/NIA Contracts
Reika Plugge Section Head (301) 827-7515
  • Senior Contracting Officer responsible for overseeing NCATS acquisitions
Karen Mahon Section Head (301) 402-1488
  • Senior Contracting Officer responsible for overseeing NIA acquisitions
Special Contracts Branch
Name Title Phone Areas of Responsibility
Brian O’Laughlin Branch Chief (301) 827-5253
  • Oversees all Branch activities for the award and administration of STOPS, PATH, and other designated contracts
Christine Frate Section Head (301) 443-3846
  • Senior Contracting Officer responsible for overseeing all Special Contracts Branch acquisitions