Candice N. Burch

Candice Burch serves as a Contract Specialist within the U.S. Coast Guard’s Headquarters Contract Operations (CG-912), where she plays a pivotal role in executing strategic acquisitions that support national maritime security and operational readiness. She manages complex procurements for aerospace, maritime, and technical services critical to modernizing the Coast Guard’s fleet and enhancing maritime domain awareness systems. Her portfolio centers on the acquisition of specialized vessel components, surveillance systems, and mission-critical support services, ensuring alignment with the agency’s priorities in search and detection, coastal patrol, and force modernization. Burch applies full lifecycle contracting expertise to ensure compliance with FAR and DFARS requirements while delivering timely, mission-effective solutions. Burch maintains consistent contracting relationships with key industrial partners including Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, L.L.C., Davie Defense Inc., Rauma Marine Constructions Oy, and Rozema’s Boat Works, Inc., all of which provide specialized shipbuilding, repair, and maritime system integration services. Her working patterns reflect long-term, performance-based partnerships with Tier 1 defense and marine contractors capable of delivering high-complexity, low-volume platforms and components under stringent Coast Guard specifications. These relationships are characterized by collaborative requirements development, rigorous technical evaluation, and proactive risk mitigation throughout contract execution. Her procurement approach prioritizes open competition, with 94.5% of awards issued without set-aside designations, reflecting a focus on capability-driven sourcing over socioeconomic preferences. Nevertheless, she actively supports small business participation through targeted Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a measured but deliberate commitment to expanding vendor diversity within the maritime acquisition ecosystem. Burch’s primary technical focus lies in NAICS 336413—Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing—where she procures mission-critical avionics, sensor subsystems, and support equipment for maritime surveillance and patrol platforms. She also engages in related engineering services and specialized vessel component procurement, demonstrating deep expertise in aerospace-mission systems integration and maritime technical sustainment. Her domain knowledge spans airborne detection systems, vessel modernization, and mission-critical logistics support for Coast Guard operational units.