Alumni Representative—Board of Trustees
Bernard M. Grayson Jr.
Bernard M. Grayson Jr. is a nationally seasoned Contracts, Procurement, and Acquisition Executive with more than 15 years of progressive leadership across federal, state, local, quasi-governmental, and institutional environments. His career reflects a rare combination of technical acquisition expertise, strategic sourcing leadership, and measurable fiscal stewardship, with responsibility for well over $1 billion in public-sector procurement, contracting, and acquisition portfolios throughout his professional lifetime.
Bernard has built a distinguished record managing complex, high-risk, and mission-critical acquisitions spanning IT systems, SaaS and cloud services, professional services, facilities management, transportation operations, human services, and public safety programs. Throughout his career, he has directly managed, administered, negotiated, or influenced contracts valued in excess of $900 million, while securing documented cost savings exceeding $12 million, exclusive of indirect efficiencies and long-term lifecycle savings.
Federal Government Leadership & Impact
Currently, Bernard supports and manages an acquisition portfolio totaling $130,734,118, overseeing end-to-end procurement activities from pre-solicitation through close-out. His role includes leadership in IT software and SaaS contracting, enterprise licensing, and cloud-based solutions—where his negotiations have generated more than $6 million in cost savings through strategic sourcing, volume licensing, and multi-year contract structures.
He is recognized for streamlining procurement and contract modification processes, reducing acquisition cycle times by 30–40%, and implementing automation, standardized templates, and electronic tracking systems that enhance compliance, transparency, and audit readiness. His work directly supports the Coast Guard’s operational readiness and mission execution.
Previously, Bernard served as a Senior Contract Specialist with the U.S. Department of Transportation, supporting the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and NHTSA. In this role, he provided cradle-to-grave federal acquisition support, with a concentration on IT and SaaS procurements, cost estimating, market research, source selection, and vendor performance oversight. His efforts consistently produced 10–25% cost reductions through competitive sourcing and contract optimization.
At the U.S. Department of Labor, Bernard held responsibility as a Senior Contract Specialist, acting as the primary contractual authority for onsite contract operations. He led acquisition planning, award, administration, and close-out for federal IT and professional services contracts, while implementing dashboards, reporting tools, and automated contract lifecycle solutions that improved vendor oversight and SLA compliance.
State, Local & Quasi-Governmental Leadership
Bernard’s public-sector leadership extends deeply into District of Columbia and regional government systems. As a Contracting Officer and Senior Contract Specialist with the D.C. Government Office of Contracting & Procurement, he procured and administered over $50 million in human services and continuum-of-care contracts, while negotiating more than
$6 million in documented cost savings. He also trained and supported 60+ Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs), strengthening procurement compliance and institutional capacity.
Earlier in his tenure with D.C. Government, he administered over $10 million in Human Services IT solutions, contributing to modernization efforts and service delivery improvements.
At Events DC (Washington Convention & Sports Authority), Bernard managed more than $200 million in facility management, IT, and professional services contracts, delivering cost reductions of approximately 20% through improved vendor negotiations, risk mitigation strategies, and contract standardization.
With the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), he oversaw an annual procurement portfolio exceeding $85 million, supporting bus operations and maintenance through multi-vendor, high-volume contracting environments.
Institutional & Higher Education Procurement
Bernard also served as Senior Contract Specialist at Howard University, where he managed the University’s procurement team and oversaw an IT and institutional procurement portfolio exceeding $200 million. His leadership resulted in measurable cost reductions, improved contract governance, and strengthened vendor accountability across academic and administrative functions.
Technical Expertise & Systems
Bernard possesses deep expertise in federal acquisition systems and platforms, including
SAP ARIBA, FPDS-NG, PRISM, UNISON, FAR, GS Advantage, CPARS, SAM.gov, PeopleSoft,
SharePoint, and related procurement technologies. He is widely regarded as a process improvement leader, particularly in IT procurement, SaaS contracting, and automated acquisition workflows. Education & Certifications
Bernard’s academic foundation reflects a sustained commitment to procurement excellence:
- Master of Business Administration (Procurement & Acquisitions) – Webster University
- Master of Arts (Procurement & Acquisitions Management) – Webster University
- Bachelor of Business Administration (Contracts & Public Procurement) – University of the District of Columbia
- Bachelor of Business Administration (Business Management) – University of the District of Columbia
Professional Certifications:
- Government Contracting Certification – Webster University
- Contracts & Public Procurement Certification – University of the District of Columbia
- District of Columbia Procurement Certification (Tier I, II & III) – George Washington University
Professional Legacy
Across federal, state, local, and institutional environments, Bernard M. Grayson Jr. has established a career defined by fiscal integrity, operational excellence, and measurable public value. His professional lifetime reflects over a billion dollars in acquisition oversight, millions in negotiated savings, and a sustained commitment to strengthening procurement systems that serve communities, agencies, and the public interest.