Denise A Sturdifen

Denise Sturdifen serves as a Contracting Officer for the SFLC Procurement Branch 1 (70Z080) within the U.S. Coast Guard, where she plays a pivotal role in executing acquisitions critical to the sustainment and modernization of the Coast Guard’s fleet of cutters and maritime assets. Her portfolio centers on shipbuilding, repair, and maintenance contracts under the Naval Vessel Repair Program, ensuring operational readiness for coastal, offshore, and open-ocean missions. She manages complex, technical procurements involving dry dock overhauls, propulsion system upgrades, hull integrity enhancements, and marine systems integration, adhering to federal acquisition regulations and Navy-specific shipyard standards. Her work directly supports the Coast Guard’s strategic imperative to extend vessel service life and maintain mission-critical capabilities. Sturdifen maintains enduring relationships with a core group of specialized shipyard and marine industrial contractors, including Fairbanks Morse, LLC, Bay Ship & Yacht Co, Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, L.L.C., and Technico Corporation. These partnerships reflect a focus on Tier 1 vessel repair and conversion specialists with proven expertise in naval architecture, dry dock operations, and Coast Guard-specific vessel modifications. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, performance-based contracting, and rigorous oversight of technical deliverables in high-stakes maritime environments. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Sturdifen consistently prioritizes Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, with approximately 80% of her awards designated for small businesses. She also incorporates HUBZone set-asides to support economically distressed communities, demonstrating a deliberate socioeconomic contracting strategy aligned with federal mandates. Her portfolio reflects a strong preference for small, specialized marine contractors capable of delivering complex shipyard services. Her procurement activity is overwhelmingly concentrated in NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), reflecting deep expertise in naval vessel maintenance, structural repair, and marine systems integration. She rarely procures outside this domain, with minimal activity in unrelated sectors, underscoring her singular focus on sustaining the Coast Guard’s maritime fleet through technically demanding, regulated shipyard acquisitions.