Garrett Parks

Garrett Parks serves as the primary contracting lead for Nuwc Division Newport, where he oversees the acquisition of advanced maritime technologies critical to naval warfare dominance. Responsible for managing complex procurements across research, development, and testing initiatives, Parks ensures alignment with the agency’s mission to enhance undersea, surface, and aerial sensor systems, electronic warfare capabilities, and integrated communication architectures. His portfolio centers on high-technology procurement involving navigation, sonar, and signal processing systems, requiring deep technical understanding and rigorous compliance with defense acquisition regulations. Parks maintains consistent working relationships with leading defense and aerospace contractors including Science Applications International Corporation, Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Astronics Test Systems Inc, Serco Inc, and Mikel Inc. These partnerships reflect a preference for established industry players with proven expertise in naval systems integration, test equipment, and mission-critical electronics. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical innovation, and long-term vendor collaboration to support sustained operational readiness. While the majority of his acquisitions—approximately 90%—are conducted without set-asides, Parks demonstrates a deliberate and structured commitment to small business participation, with roughly 10% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a balanced strategy that prioritizes mission capability while fostering innovation from qualified small businesses without compromising technical rigor or schedule integrity. His procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 334511 for search, detection, and navigation systems, complemented by significant activity in engineering services, fiber optic cable manufacturing, and miscellaneous electrical component production. Parks specializes in acquiring cutting-edge hardware and integrated systems for naval platforms, with deep domain expertise in underwater acoustics, electronic warfare suites, and high-reliability communication infrastructure essential to modern naval operations.