Charles Petersen

Charles Petersen, doing business as Petersen & Associates, is a veteran-owned small business sole proprietorship based in Indianapolis, Indiana that provides field background investigative services to federal law enforcement and diplomatic security agencies as a prime contractor operating exclusively under small business set-asides and non-set-aside vehicles. The vendor holds primary NAICS classification in Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611) and Other Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities.

Petersen & Associates maintains a narrow, concentrated customer footprint. The Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives accounts for 48 awards (80% of the 60-award footprint) with $746 thousand in combined potential value; the Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security accounts for 3 awards with $700 thousand combined potential value. These two agencies represent 85% of total awards and 100% of combined potential value. The vendor operates exclusively as a prime contractor with no subcontract work.

The vendor holds a Basic Ordering Agreement with ATF for field background-investigative services through March 31, 2031 with a $600 thousand ceiling, awarded April 1, 2026 under a 100% small business set-aside. It also holds a single-award Blanket Purchase Agreement with the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security through November 5, 2029 with a $700 thousand ceiling, awarded November 6, 2024. At ATF, Petersen & Associates places task orders under multiple legacy BPAs (DJA14AHDQS0347 with 17 orders, DJA07E000020 with 7 orders, DJA10E000114 with 7 orders, and DJA16AHDQA0338 with 6 orders). A $4,868 delivery order from ATF for field background investigative services closed April 1, 2026 with an ultimate completion date of August 13, 2027. Recent activity is sparse — one award in 2024 and two in 2026 — reflecting a contract base heavily anchored to the ATF relationship. The vendor has obligated $192 thousand of its $1.4 million combined potential value, representing 13% drawdown.