Alison Gates

Alison Gates serves as a key procurement lead within the U.S. Coast Guard’s Headquarters Contract Operations (CG-912), overseeing strategic acquisitions that directly support national maritime security and force modernization initiatives. She manages a portfolio centered on research and development in physical and engineering sciences, with a focus on advancing maritime domain awareness systems, search and detection technologies, and the sustainment of specialized vessel fleets. Her work ensures that cutting-edge technical capabilities are integrated into Coast Guard operations, bridging innovation with operational readiness across coastal, riverine, and open-ocean environments. Gates maintains longstanding relationships with a select group of specialized shipbuilders and defense contractors, including Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, L.L.C., Davie Defense Inc., Rauma Marine Constructions Oy, and Rozema’s Boat Works, Inc. These partnerships are characterized by long-term collaboration on complex, mission-critical platforms requiring high levels of engineering integration and compliance with naval standards. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical fidelity, lifecycle support, and performance-based outcomes, often involving multi-year, performance-driven contract structures such as IDIQs and cost-reimbursement arrangements. There is no set-aside preference in her procurement portfolio; all contracts are competed full and open, reflecting a strategic emphasis on technical excellence and industrial capacity over socioeconomic classifications. This approach prioritizes mission-critical performance and proven capability, ensuring the Coast Guard accesses the most qualified vendors for complex maritime systems development. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541715, encompassing research and development in engineering and physical sciences, with an emphasis on sensor systems, vessel modernization, maritime surveillance technologies, and advanced propulsion integration. She specializes in procuring high-integrity, defense-grade technical solutions that require rigorous testing, certification, and integration with Coast Guard operational platforms.