Benjamin Simmons

Benjamin Simmons serves as a Contract Specialist within the U.S. Coast Guard’s Headquarters Contract Operations (CG-912), where he plays a pivotal role in executing strategic acquisitions to support national maritime security and operational readiness. He manages the full lifecycle of complex contracts for aerospace and maritime technical systems, with a primary focus on the procurement of specialized aircraft components and auxiliary equipment. His work directly enables the Coast Guard’s modernization of patrol platforms, enhancement of maritime domain awareness systems, and sustainment of mission-critical fleets through new construction and upgrade programs. Simmons ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurement actions with the agency’s operational priorities in coastal and riverine defense. His key contractor relationships center on specialized shipbuilders and aerospace manufacturers, including Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, L.L.C., Davie Defense Inc., Rauma Marine Constructions Oy, and Rozema’s Boat Works, Inc. These partnerships reflect a preference for established industrial base providers with proven expertise in vessel design, naval architecture, and mission-specific system integration. Simmons maintains long-term, performance-driven relationships with these vendors, often engaging them through competitive sealed bidding and negotiated contracts for high-precision, low-volume technical systems requiring rigorous certification and testing. Simmons consistently prioritizes full and open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions conducted without set-aside designations such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB. This reflects a strategic alignment with the Coast Guard’s need for specialized technical capabilities that are currently concentrated among a limited pool of qualified industrial contractors, rather than socioeconomic preferences. His approach emphasizes capability, reliability, and mission suitability over socioeconomic categorization. His procurement focus is exclusively under NAICS 336413—Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing—indicating deep specialization in avionics, sensor integration, surveillance systems, and mission equipment for maritime patrol aircraft and unmanned aerial systems. He possesses extensive technical knowledge in aerospace subsystems, electronic warfare support equipment, and sensor platforms critical to Coast Guard surveillance and search-and-rescue operations.