The procurement and contracting world may not be as complicated as universal physics, but they do benefit from the wisdom of great thinkers. We have one such phenomenal thinker, Molly Lawson. She is an 1102 Intern in the Naval Acquisition Development Program (NADP), at the Washington Navy Yard, who is the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Contract Specialist in the Spotlight.
Lawson determines contractor responsibility, compiles market research, completes contractual analysis of contractors’ proposals to determine fair and reasonable pricing, documents those findings and builds task orders and modifies awards in the contracting system.
She is passionate about task execution and award modifications of regional contract vehicles in her professional career. But when she is not enjoying the roles as a contract specialist, Lawson is devoted to her husband of 13 years, Lt. Cmdr. Bo Lawson, their three children and her relationship with fitness, health and wellness. She holds a CrossFit level 1 certification. Although she participated in exercise competitions, she declares those days are behind her now that she is busy nurturing her three children. However, she still prioritizes her exercise and time outdoors to set a foundation that encourages her offsprings to embrace healthy lifestyles when they are older.
Lawson is grateful to her husband who encouraged her to pursue a contracting career following eight years as a stay-at-home mom. She also thanks Alan Tamayo and Roger “Chip” Marce for giving her the start she needed.
Lawson lives in Maryland but is originally from New Jersey. Prior to joining the NAVFAC Washington team in 2022, she graduated from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education.
“I enjoyed my undergraduate time and my brief career in education. But professionally speaking, I have found the utmost fulfilment in pursing this career through the NADP.”
Lawson feels a great sense of pride in supporting the Navy not only as a military spouse, but as a federal employee for the Department of Defense.
“Contracting is vital to strengthening our national defense capabilities. What we work to procure behind the scenes directly enables our warfighter to focus on their core mission and enhances their effectiveness and readiness. I am proud to be a part of that supporting effort.”
Lawson enjoys her job and is currently working on new environmental actions as well as the ongoing building 157 renovation. Previous projects she was involved in include the execution and allotment of 20 actions valued some $2.7 million and the execution of four large projects valued at $18 million for Naval Air Station Patuxent River in FY23. Although challenging, she considers the award of the highly visible Global Contingency Construction contract task order to be a large catalyst of her contribution to NAVFAC this year.
Her work philosophy is to simply be effective. Lawson believes simple does not mean easy, and that it takes a great deal of time and devotion to be an effective member of the contracting community. Her goal is to work each day at NAVFAC Washington on meaningful projects to support the warfighter.
Her advice for anyone thinking of making contracting a career is to “take on each assignment with a can-do attitude, even if it intimidates you. Realize that you have a world of resources and good people in the community to support you.”
In her spare time, Lawson enjoys reading, listening to music and watching a good television series with her husband.