Open to opportunities

Melissa Gerlach

@melissagerlach

Message

Senior procurement analyst delivering FAR/DFAR RFPs and $1.3M cost savings.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a role where I can own procurement and RFP execution end-to-end, apply FAR/DFAR and contract know-how, and deliver real cost savings—while mentoring teams and partnering across operations to keep compliance and outcomes strong.

I’m a Senior Procurement Analyst at GDIT, handling end-to-end procurement for multiple programs across TSA and Defense, plus internal real estate and facility operations. I bring full-spectrum RFP lifecycle execution—from supplier identification and risk management through proposal management, purchase order issuance, and compliance documentation.

I work with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense FAR (DFAR), contract law, and price analysis techniques to drive measurable outcomes. In my current role, I negotiated cost savings of over $1.3M for FY 2025, and I support procurement team onboarding through direct training for new hires.

Before procurement, I led operations as an Operations Manager at Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, managing accounting and personnel functions including onboarding, payroll, benefits, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. I reconciled cash accounts and vendor costs/receipts monthly, implemented new bill payment and payroll software, and increased productivity by decreasing manual entry and line-by-line reconciliations.

My background also blends investigation, continuity, and policy work. I’ve provided full-scope intelligence community background investigations and conducted fraud, anti-money laundering, and pharmaceutical diversion investigations—handling evidence, documentation, and court-ready reporting—while also serving as a COOP facility manager and delivering DHS policy and guidance as an analyst.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Procurement Analyst Senior

Current

GDIT

Apr 2023 - Present (3 years 2 months)

Owned end-to-end procurement for multiple GDIT programs (including TSA and Defense) and internal real estate/facility operations. Managed full RFP lifecycle and compliance documentation, negotiating $1.3M+ cost savings for FY2025.

Procurement FAR DFAR Compliance Contract Law Price Analysis Supplier Risk Management Purchase Order Issuance Negotiation Proposal Management

Operations Manager

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company

Jan 2020 - Apr 2023 (3 years 3 months)

Managed accounting and personnel operations, including onboarding, payroll/benefits, and full accounts receivable/payable cycles. Improved productivity through new accounting/billing/payroll software integrations and supported business growth, including expanding distribution from 26 to 47 states and adding two foreign countries.

Operations Management Payroll Accounts Receivable Accounts Payable Cash Reconciliation Accounting Software Implementation Team Leadership Grant writing

Background Investigator

Omniplex

Jan 2019 - Dec 2019 (11 months)

Provided full-scope intelligence community background investigations for federal clients. Conducted detailed interviews, gathered supporting records, and authored extensive written reports.

Background Investigation

Background Investigator

Keypoint

Aug 2017 - Dec 2018 (1 year 4 months)

Conducted full-scope federal background investigations, performing in-depth interviews and obtaining records for extensive written reporting. Produced results consistently at 110% of customer expectations.

Background Investigation Federal Client Compliance Case Documentation

Fraud & Diversion Investigator

Glover Group LLC

Oct 2010 - Aug 2017 (6 years 10 months)

Performed full-scope fraud, anti-money laundering, and pharmaceutical diversion investigations for Fortune 500/100 pharmaceutical and tobacco clients. Prepared deposition and courtroom-ready reports, maintained chain of custody, and conducted forensic evaluations of seized electronic evidence.

Fraud Investigation Anti Money Laundering (AML)Witness Interviewing Chain Of Custody Deposition Court Reporting

COOP Facility Manager

L3 Communications

Aug 2010 - Oct 2011 (1 year 2 months)

Managed the Department of Homeland Security Continuity of Operations (COOP) facility at the Mt. Weather Emergency Operations Center. Certified in business continuity operations and led steady-state maintenance, emergency testing, and employee training.

Business Continuity DHS Continuity Operations Emergency Testing Employee Training Steady State Maintenance

Policy Analyst (DHS)

SRA International

Dec 2007 - Aug 2010 (2 years 8 months)

Provided policy analysis and expert guidance to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Infrastructure Protection. Authored emergency response guides for chemical and retail industry audiences for first-responder and law-enforcement use cases.

Policy Analysis Emergency Preparedness First Responder Guidance Law Enforcement Support Technical Writing Industry Emergency Planning

Police Detective

City of Fairfax Police

Jan 1999 - Dec 2007 (8 years 11 months)

Served as a detective with the Fairfax County Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force, managing criminal investigations including undercover operations. Authored and executed search warrants and provided expert testimony at trial, including as the first female member of the distinguished SWAT team.

Investigation Evidence Handling Organized Crime Investigation SWAT Operations Case Documentation