![Portrait of Eli Ouder](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/eli-ouder-headshot.jpg?w=320)
Eli Ouder
Chief of Procurement Services in the Procurement Division at the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC)
Mr. Ouder is currently assigned as the Chief of Procurement Services in the Procurement Division at the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) in Hancock County, Mississippi. In this role, Mr. Ouder’s primary duties include managing a workforce of 46 Civil Servants and an acquisition portfolio encompassing over 17K contract actions with obligations more than $1.6 billion annually in support of numerous missions across 10 NASA Centers. Mr. Ouder began his career in 1996 as an enlisted Airman in the United States Air Force where he served in active duty status for 9 years at 3 different bases as a Contract Specialist.
In 2006, Mr. Ouder started his Civil Servant career with NASA at the NSSC as a Contracting Officer in the Procurement Operations Branch managing a portfolio of agency contracts in support of customers NASA-wide. Mr. Ouder also served as a Team Lead managing a suite of contracts in the NASA IT Infrastructure Integration Program (I3P). In March 2016, Mr. Ouder was assigned to the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) Branch in the role of Branch Chief to help lead the massive transition of Simplified Acquisition purchases from 10 NASA Centers to a centralized buying arm at the NSSC. Mr. Ouder continued to serve as SAT Branch Chief until January 2022 when he assumed his current role.
Mr. Ouder is a 1995 graduate of Pearl River Central High School in Carriere, Mississippi where he lettered in football and earned All-District honors. Mr. Ouder earned two Associates Degrees from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Faulkner University and a Masters Degree in Contracts Management from American Graduate University. Mr. Ouder holds a Level III Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting and possesses an unlimited Contracting Officer warrant.
Mr. Ouder is married (Shawna) and has 4 children (Jonathan, Kelsey, Garrett and Ty). In his free time, Mr. Ouder enjoys doing radio work, running, spending time with family, and volunteering within the local community where he resides.