Brenda K. Hess

Brenda K. Hess serves as a key procurement professional within the U.S. Coast Guard’s SFLC Procurement Branch 2 (70Z085), overseeing the acquisition of critical shipbuilding, repair, and maintenance services essential to sustaining the Coast Guard’s fleet of cutters and maritime vessels. Her work directly supports the agency’s mission of operational readiness across coastal, offshore, and open-ocean domains, with a focus on lifecycle management of naval infrastructure. She manages complex contract actions under FAR Part 13 and Part 14 procedures, primarily for engineering, fabrication, and systems integration services tied to vessel modernization and dry-dock operations. Hess maintains consistent working relationships with leading maritime industrial contractors including ROLLS-ROYCE SOLUTIONS AMERICA INC, VIGOR MARINE LLC, JAG INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC, G I INDUSTRIAL-MARINE, LLC, and L1 ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED. These partnerships reflect a reliance on specialized shipyard capabilities, marine propulsion system support, and industrial maintenance services critical to vessel sustainment. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, technical compliance, and performance-based contract structures to ensure mission-critical readiness. A defining feature of Hess’s contracting portfolio is its strong emphasis on small business participation, with 89.6% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to cultivate capacity among qualified small and emerging maritime contractors, aligning with federal socioeconomic goals and enhancing industrial base resilience. She consistently prioritizes small business eligibility criteria, including SBA-certified 8(a), HUBZone, and WOSB firms, fostering inclusive competition in the defense industrial sector. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), accounting for over 90% of her activity, with secondary engagement in engine equipment and industrial services. This demonstrates deep technical expertise in naval architecture, hull fabrication, propulsion system upgrades, and corrosion control—domains requiring specialized regulatory compliance and maritime engineering standards.