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

William Thoreen Director of Oversight and Strategic Support
Office of the Chief Procurement Officer
William.Thoreen@hq.dhs.gov
202-447-0726 (office) 

Procuring Activity Competition Advocates (PACAS)

Department Headquarters
John Ziu, Director, Acquisition Management and Support Division
Office of Procurement Operations
john.ziu@dhs.gov
202-447-5556 (office)

Department of Homeland Security Office of Selective Acquisitions (OSA)
Carol Ulrich, Director of Policy and Competition Advocate
carol.ulrich@dhs.gov
202-447-5763 (office)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Clifford Oliver, Director Acquisition Program and Planning Division
clifford.oliver@dhs.gov
202-646-4631 (office)

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
Marcus L. Hill, Assistant Director, Administration Directorate
marcus.hill@dhs.gov 
912-267-2231 (office)

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Richard D. Braendel II
Director, TSA’s Policy and Oversight Division Office of Acquisition
richard.braendel@dhs.gov
571-227-5371

Standing Temporary Acting Competition Advocate for Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Robert Boone, TSA's Director of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Robert.Boone@dhs.gov
571-227-1067 (office)

U.S. Coast Guard
Michael Tangora, Deputy Assistant Commandant for Acquisition
michael.f.tangora.uscg.dhs.gov
202-475-3000 (office)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Competition Advocate
Patricia E. Larsen, Director Acquisition Program Management Office
patricia.e.larsen@dhs.gov
202-344-1139

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Competition Advocate (ALT)
David Hansen, Associate Director, Acquisition Performance Division,
within Acquisition Program Management Office
david.j.hansen@dhs.gov 
317-614-4689

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) Competition Advocate
Cheri Tyner,  Deputy Director, Office of Acquisition Management
cheri.tyner@ice.dhs.gov
202-732-2398

U.S. Secret Service (USSS)
Gary Blore, Component Acquisition Executive
gary.blore@usss.dhs.gov