Cheryl Ellis

Cheryl Ellis serves as a Contracting Officer for the C5I Division 3 Portsmouth within the U.S. Coast Guard, where she leads the acquisition and management of mission-critical command, control, communications, computers, cyber, and intelligence (C5I) systems. Her portfolio supports the modernization of maritime surveillance, navigation, and secure communication infrastructure essential to national security and operational resilience. Ellis specializes in complex, technology-driven procurements involving engineering services, custom software development, and specialized hardware manufacturing, ensuring alignment with Coast Guard operational requirements and federal acquisition regulations. She plays a pivotal role in translating strategic C5I objectives into executable contract actions that deliver secure, interoperable capabilities across maritime domains. Her primary contractor relationships center on Trimble Inc., with whom she frequently collaborates on precision navigation and sensor integration solutions. Ellis maintains a balanced approach to vendor engagement, working closely with both large prime contractors and qualified small businesses to ensure technical innovation and supply chain reliability. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for competed procurements that prioritize performance, cybersecurity compliance, and systems integration expertise, fostering long-term partnerships grounded in technical rigor and accountability. While the majority of her acquisitions are conducted without set-asides (71.4%), Ellis consistently supports small business participation through 8(a) competed contracts (23.8%) and occasional Total Small Business Set-Asides (4.8%). Her socioeconomic contracting strategy emphasizes meaningful opportunities for certified small businesses, particularly those with specialized capabilities in cyber-enabled systems and defense-grade engineering services. Her industry focus is concentrated in NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services) and 541519 (Other Computer Related Services), with significant activity in custom programming (541511) and manufacturing of maritime-grade navigation and communications equipment (334511, 334220). Ellis specializes in procuring integrated C5I solutions that enhance maritime domain awareness, emphasizing cybersecurity, real-time data fusion, and resilient communication architectures.