Desiree Dirige

Desiree Dirige serves as a key procurement professional within the W2SD Endist Baltimore office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, supporting the Department of the Army’s mission to deliver critical infrastructure and facility support across military and federal installations. She manages complex construction and civil engineering acquisitions under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, with a focus on ensuring operational readiness through timely delivery of essential infrastructure. Her portfolio primarily encompasses heavy civil construction projects, including water and sewer systems, environmental remediation sites, and institutional facility upgrades, requiring deep technical coordination with engineers and project managers to align contracting actions with mission-critical timelines and compliance standards. Dirige maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of experienced contractors, including GRUNLEY CONSTRUCTION CO., INC., GREAT LAKES DREDGE & DOCK CO, LLC, and MATTHEWS GROUP INC, all of whom have demonstrated proven capability in large-scale civil works. She also engages specialized firms such as CURTIN MARITIME CORP and CHEROENHAKA NOTTOWAY ENTERPRISES, LLC, reflecting a strategic emphasis on both national infrastructure experts and Indigenous-owned entities. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, rigorous pre-award evaluations, and long-term vendor reliability over transactional procurement. A strong advocate for socioeconomic inclusion, Dirige consistently prioritizes Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, with approximately 60% of her acquisitions reserved for small businesses. This reflects a deliberate strategy to foster competition and expand opportunities for small and disadvantaged firms within the heavy civil construction sector. Her contracting patterns align with Department of Defense directives to increase small business participation in mission-critical infrastructure projects. Her technical focus centers on NAICS 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction) and 237110 (Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction), indicating deep expertise in earthmoving, hydraulic structures, and utility infrastructure. She procures services ranging from dredging and pipeline installation to environmental restoration, requiring precise adherence to Army Corps of Engineers design standards and environmental compliance protocols.