Jessica A. Neal
Hyattsville,MD
Summary
Accomplished federal grants and acquisition management professional overseeing $65M+ in portfolios, optimizing resource allocation and compliance. Delivered $7M in cost savings by identifying funding efficiencies while advising leadership on strategic initiatives. Achieved a 90% on-time closeout rate, enhancing accountability and mission effectiveness.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Contracting Officer Representative
U.S. Department of Justice, OVW
Washington, DC
10.2024 - Current
- Direct end-to-end acquisition management of a $33M portfolio spanning 7+ task orders, leveraging acquisition planning, market research, cost analysis, negotiations, and performance-based requirements to deliver mission-critical services.
- Achieved $7M in cost savings to the Government by conducting a comprehensive review of a prior-year task order, analyzing remaining requirements, funding, obligations, expenditures, and contractor performance; identified excess/unneeded funding and coordinated deobligation of funds to maximize fiscal stewardship and return unobligated resources.
- Drive contract administration and performance oversight through weekly contractor status calls, milestone tracking, financial analysis, deliverable reviews, risk assessments, and virtual monitoring visits to validate performance, identify deficiencies, and ensure compliance with contract requirements.
- Exercise financial stewardship over $33M in contract funding, analyzing obligations, expenditures, invoices, funding availability, and cost variances to ensure resources are accurately aligned with program requirements and mission priorities.
- Advise senior leadership and Contracting Officers through data-driven analysis of acquisition status, contractor performance, funding, compliance, and emerging risks, providing actionable recommendations for corrective actions and resource optimization.
- Strengthen procurement integrity and compliance by reviewing Statements of Work, acquisition packages, solicitations, task orders, modifications, invoices, and supporting documentation for alignment with federal acquisition laws, regulations, policies, and contractual requirements.
- Evaluate contractor proposals and performance against cost, quality, schedule, technical, and risk criteria to support acquisition decisions, payment recommendations, performance assessments, and corrective actions.
- Establish portfolio-level governance and controls through procurement tracking, financial reporting, performance metrics, weekly status updates, monitoring activities, and executive briefings that provide visibility into contract health, risks, and resource utilization.
- Identify and mitigate complex contractor and acquisition risks by assessing root causes, evaluating program impacts, coordinating cross-functional stakeholders, and implementing corrective action strategies to protect cost, schedule, quality, and mission outcomes.
- Lead cross-functional and interagency acquisition initiatives, coordinating SMEs, program leadership, Contracting Officers, security personnel, contractors, and external stakeholders to resolve complex procurement, performance, funding, and operational issues.
- Provide executive-level acquisition expertise on regulatory requirements, negotiation strategies, contract administration, financial management, and innovative approaches that improve efficiency, accountability, compliance, and mission outcomes.
Grants Management Specialist
U.S. Department of Justice, OVW
Washington, DC
12.2019 - 10.2024
- Independently administered full lifecycle oversight of a $32M federal grant portfolio supporting 100+ grantees, independently managing NOFO development and execution, application intake and assessment, award processing, financial oversight, performance monitoring, compliance, technical assistance, and closeout while applying federal statutes, regulations, policies, and internal controls to ensure accountability and effective stewardship of federal funds.
- Executed 50–55 competitive awards annually ($300K–$1M each), managing NOFOs, application assessment, financial and cost reviews, expert peer-review panels, pre-award negotiations, budget approvals, funding recommendations, and award issuance while exercising independent judgment to align funding decisions with statutory requirements, program priorities, and available resources.
- Managed highly competitive funding processes receiving 100+ applications per NOFO, by evaluating applicant eligibility, organizational capacity, and financial soundness to ensure funding recommendations were compliant, competitive, and aligned with program priorities.
- Directed 10+ annual peer-review panels comprised of national and state DVSSA subject-matter experts, administering the review process for 10+ applications per panel by establishing review protocols, facilitating panel deliberations, ensuring consistent application of evaluation criteria, and synthesizing findings into funding recommendations for senior leadership.
- Administered comprehensive post-award oversight for 100+ grantees by establishing performance monitoring practices, reviewing financial and programmatic reports, tracking milestones and deliverables, enforcing special conditions, identifying risks, and directing corrective actions to maintain compliance and accountability.
- Led on-site compliance and performance reviews by assessing grantee program operations, financial management, internal controls, documentation, performance data, and deliverables; translated findings into corrective actions and targeted technical assistance and conducted follow-up monitoring to mitigate risk and strengthen stewardship of federal funds.
- Improved grant administration and accountability, achieving a 90% on-time closeout rate, by proactively tracking award milestones, identifying outstanding requirements, resolving financial and programmatic issues, and coordinating timely completion of closeout actions.
- Delivered and facilitated 6+ national grant opportunity webinars annually, delivering targeted technical assistance by translating complex federal statutes, eligibility requirements, funding priorities, evaluation criteria, and application procedures into clear, actionable guidance; resolved complex questions, clarified requirements, and equipped prospective applicants to develop competitive and compliant proposals.
- Provided executive-level administration and technical leadership for complex DVSSA grant programs by interpreting statutory and regulatory requirements, monitoring legislative and policy developments, assessing emerging field trends, and translating findings into program guidance and operational improvements.
- Strengthened portfolio governance and strategic decision-making by analyzing performance data, compliance trends, operational risks, and emerging programmatic needs and providing senior leadership with actionable recommendations to improve grant administration, oversight, and program effectiveness.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
Trinity College
Washington, DC05-2018
Skills
- Federal Acquisition & Grants Management
- Financial Management & Fiscal Stewardship
- Contract & Grant Performance Oversight
- Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management
- Stakeholder Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Regulatory Compliance
- Strategic Decision-Making & Problem Solving
Timeline
Contracting Officer Representative
U.S. Department of Justice, OVW
10.2024 - Current
Grants Management Specialist
U.S. Department of Justice, OVW
12.2019 - 10.2024
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
Trinity College