Mauricio P. Vera is a career member of the Senior Executive Service and serves as the director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). In this role, Vera leads USAID's efforts to provide maximum opportunities for small, disadvantaged, women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned and HUBZone small businesses to participate in USAID contract awards through outreach, education and creative procurement initiatives.

OSDBU also oversees USAID's efforts to increase the participation of minority-serving institutions of higher education in USAID-sponsored programs and activities. Since October 2009, Vera has also served as chair of the Federal OSDBU Directors Interagency Council.

From 2001 to 2008, Vera managed the Small Business Program at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Under Vera's leadership, the NRC became one of only three federal agencies to be awarded the Gold Star Award by the Small Business Administration for its exemplary performance and commitment to contracting with small businesses in fiscal year 2005. In 2007, the NRC awarded Vera the distinguished Meritorious Service Award in recognition of his accomplishments in the small business program area.

From 1993 to 2001, Vera established and managed the Smithsonian Institution's Supplier Diversity Program. Prior to this, he served as a senior financial analyst at the Small Business Administration. Vera, a native of Chile, has an MBA from George Mason University and a B.S. degree in agricultural economics from the University of Maryland.