Derrick Shepherd

Derrick Shepherd serves as a primary contracting professional within DLA Troop Support, responsible for managing complex acquisitions critical to the readiness and sustainment of U.S. military forces. He oversees the procurement of specialized industrial equipment and mission-critical infrastructure, including overhead crane systems, pumping and fluid handling equipment, and deployable logistical components essential to field operations. His role is central to ensuring the timely delivery of durable, high-performance systems that support troop welfare and operational logistics across global theaters, aligning closely with DLA’s mandate to maintain combat-ready supply chains through strategic sourcing and technical oversight. Shepherd maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of specialized manufacturers, including WESTLAND TECHNOLOGIES, INC., ENGINEERED COIL COMPANY, ECI DEFENSE GROUP, INC., PIONEER INDUSTRIES, LLC, and AEROSPACE & COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with deep expertise in defense-grade industrial manufacturing, particularly in custom-engineered mechanical and electromechanical systems. His procurement approach emphasizes technical compliance, performance reliability, and long-term sustainment support, fostering collaborative vendor engagement grounded in rigorous specification adherence and quality assurance protocols. While the majority of his acquisitions—80.2%—are conducted under full and open competition, Shepherd demonstrates measurable commitment to socioeconomic programs, with 12.6% of awards designated for total small business set-asides and 5.4% reserved for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. His contracting patterns reflect a balanced approach, prioritizing capability and readiness while actively supporting small business participation through targeted set-asides and transparent solicitation practices. His primary technical focus lies in NAICS 333923 for overhead crane and monorail systems, with significant activity in pumping equipment (333914) and rope/cordage manufacturing (314994). This specialization underscores his expertise in procuring heavy-duty, mission-essential industrial systems that operate under extreme environmental conditions, requiring precise engineering standards and defense-specific certifications.