As vice president of contracts and procurement at Two Six Technologies, Mandy Walter-Beam helps shape the company’s strategic direction, foster growth and lead the complex world of compliance in government contracting.
Walter-Beam joined Two Six in August 2021, bringing over 20 years of management and leadership experience, and a not-so-traditional path to GovCon compliance.
She started her career in the U.S. Air Force as an Arab linguist. After leaving active duty, her contracts career began in an entry-level position in the commercial world, working in the publishing, telecommunications and fiber optics industries.
“When one of those commercial companies decided to venture into the federal realm, I volunteered to take on the challenge of learning the process and rules. I very quickly found that I really enjoyed the work,” Walter-Beam told WashingtonExec.
Walter-Beam enjoyed the challenges, and was eager to understand how each role impacts that of other stakeholders, “thereby helping me to develop more well-rounded solutions,” she added. She was quick to take on new challenges in procurement, subcontracts, project management and compliance.
After decades in the industry at organizations including Northrop Grumman Information Systems, CACI and Leidos, Walter-Beam was drawn to the rare opportunity to build something from the ground up at Two Six.
“I’ve spent my career learning every angle of contracts and procurement ⏤ navigating complex compliance requirements, streamlining operations, and leading teams through growth and change,” she said. “When a chance came to apply all my experiences to shaping a contracts and procurement organization, I couldn’t pass that up.”
At Two Six, Walter-Beam has created a compliant and agile operation ⏤ one that doesn’t just check the boxes but also enables the business. Her goal has always been to strike a balance between structure and speed: ensuring the company meets every requirement while still moving quickly and efficiently.
“At Two Six, I’ve been able to do exactly that ⏤ building a function that’s as strategic as it is operational, and that flexes with the evolving needs of the business,” she said.
Below, Walter-Beam expands on her career path, current growth opportunities and priorities, the importance of mentorship, and more.
Why was this the path you chose, and how influential was it to your career?
A career doesn’t have to be a straight line. I am a firm believer that having knowledge about the various areas that your chosen profession impacts, helps you to make more informed decisions and provide more rounded solutions that better serve the customer. I will use the following example, a person who is in compliance all their career tends to lose sight of how the rules they put into place may impact execution. Better understanding the range of impacts, helps you provide a better solution that is both efficient and compliant. One that makes sense for the business vs one that is JUST compliant.
Do you have a personal connection to the current mission you support?
Absolutely. I grew up a military brat, spent time on active duty myself, and was a military spouse, so I have a deep personal connection to our mission.
Knowing that for those deployed, their operations and lives depend on the integrity, availability, and accuracy of the information they use makes the mission very personal for me. It’s not just about compliance and performance metrics, it’s about enabling the mission, safeguarding our warfighters, and staying steps ahead of threats that evolve very rapidly.
Every contract I touch, every negotiation I lead, is part of a bigger picture. I know the stakes, because I’ve lived them. I take immense pride in making sure our solutions are not only delivered with precision but with the urgency and responsibility that national security demands.
What are your current top priorities and responsibilities? How do these relate to your company’s overall mission/growth strategy?
From a Contracts perspective, my top goal is to create a more agile and scalable contracting framework—one that supports innovation, accelerates deal cycles, and protects the company’s interests. This involves modernizing our contract lifecycle management (CLM) approach through automation, standardization, and more proactive risk oversight. We’re reducing complexity wherever possible, introducing contract templates and playbooks to streamline negotiations, and embedding compliance checkpoints that ensure regulatory and policy alignment from the outset.
Our contracts team is also shifting from a reactive, transactional model to a strategic advisory role. We engage early in the business development cycle to shape deal structures, assess third-party risks, and identify value levers. Whether it’s managing high-impact vendor agreements or customer-facing deals, we’re focused on balancing speed with governance, ensuring we’re not only closing contracts faster but smarter.
Cross-functional collaboration is key to this transformation. By working closely with Legal, Finance, IT, and the operational business units, we’re embedding contracts into broader enterprise initiatives—from go-to-market strategies to digital transformation and supplier innovation. This ensures that every contract is a tool to support our company’s growth objectives, not a bottleneck.
From a procurement perspective, we remain focused on delivering value beyond cost. That includes partnering with strategic suppliers who can help us scale, leveraging data analytics and spend visibility to drive more informed sourcing strategies, and identifying areas for continuous improvement.
Ultimately, aligning Contracts & Procurement with the broader company strategy means focusing on outcomes: enabling speed to market, protecting revenue, managing risk, and driving long-term value.
What do you anticipate to be your customers’ top pain points, and how are you and your team planning to address/prepare for these opportunities?
From my vantage point of supporting numerous Defense and Intelligence Community customers, I anticipate some of the major pain points are going to be similar across the board.
- Workforce gaps & institutional knowledge loss: One of the most pressing challenges will continue to be workforce retention and knowledge transfer. As experienced contracting officers and program managers retire or are downsized to consolidate contracting activities, many agencies are facing skill gaps and a loss of institutional knowledge. This directly impacts acquisition timelines and the ability to navigate complex procurements efficiently. Our approach is to invest in robust documentation, create digital playbooks, and provide training resources for our employees to ensure they are prepared to assist in bridging these gaps. In doing this, it allows us to place experienced staff in positions to work alongside our DoD partners to reach favorable outcomes in a timely manner.
- Navigating Regulatory Complexity: The regulatory landscape is evolving quickly – between FAR 2.0, cybersecurity updates, and CMMC 2.0, there is constant pressure to stay compliant. These changes, while necessary, add layers of complexity that can slow down acquisition and contract execution. We maintain a dedicated compliance task force to stay ahead of policy shifts and provide real-time guidance to our contract team. We partner with our government counterparts to provide insight and ensure compliance. We are also modernizing our internal systems to ensure our ability to efficiently meet compliance requirements while providing transparency.
- Demand for speed and flexibility in acquisition: Whether it’s hypersonics, AI, or cyber tools, the government must move faster, but still within a regulated framework. There is growing pressure to accelerate acquisition timelines, especially for mission critical programs and emerging technologies. Traditional procurement pathways often can’t move fast enough. We navigate this challenge by enabling more agile acquisition strategies through early engagement and the use of structured templates that accelerate contracting cycles. We also support the use of non-traditional pathways like OTAs and GWACs where appropriate.
- Supply Chain Fragility and Risk Exposure: Global instability, limited domestic resources, and geopolitical tensions continue to be a supply chain challenge. We are building deeper supplier visibility into our procurement processes, increasing vetting for resiliency, and identifying alternative sources earlier in the acquisition lifecycle.
Ultimately, our goal is to be more than a service or product provider. We aim to be a force multiplier. By listening closely, staying agile, and co-creating solutions with our government partners, we believe we can help the government execute its mission with greater speed, security and success.
How important is mentorship & networking in GovCon? Were they influential to your career?
In this industry where trust and expertise go hand in hand, mentorship and networking are not just beneficial, they are essential! By combining technical acumen with strategic relationships, you are better positioned for long-term success.
I have been very fortunate throughout my career to have strong mentors and their guidance is a large part of why I am where I am today. Understanding the nuances of the FAR, contract language, compliance requirements, and negotiation techniques are all important technical aspects of this career field, but having an excellent mentor is invaluable. Mentors with years of experience can provide candid career advice, push you to take on more challenging roles, help you navigate tough career decisions, and share lessons learned.
Networking is just as important as expertise in this relationship-driven industry. Being involved and engaging with industry peers helps you stay ahead of market shifts and navigate regulatory changes. Knowing the right people can lead to strategic alliances that drive business and negotiation success.
What is something most people don’t know about you personally?
Most people see me through the lens of contracts, compliance, and procurement strategy — but what they probably wouldn’t guess is that I have a deep love for music. I have always been a singer, but during COVID, I taught myself to play piano and post COVID have continued with actual lessons. There’s something about the structure and creativity of music that speaks to me.
Actually, it’s not all that different from my work. Both require precision, rhythm, and an ability to find harmony between many moving parts. Music keeps me grounded and inspired. It’s my reminder that behind every policy and process, there’s still room for passion.