Helen E. Tidwell-Zaldana

Helen E. Tidwell-Zaldana serves as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Oceanographic Office (N62306), where she plays a pivotal role in acquiring critical oceanographic and geospatial technologies to support naval operations and maritime domain awareness. She manages the full lifecycle of procurements for advanced sensing systems, navigation instrumentation, and satellite-enabled environmental data platforms, ensuring alignment with the Office’s mission to deliver real-time oceanic and seabed intelligence for undersea warfare and safe navigation. Her acquisitions are strategically aligned with DoD standards and emphasize technical precision, operational readiness, and compliance with federal acquisition regulations. Tidwell-Zaldana collaborates with a diverse base of defense contractors specializing in nautical and aerospace instrumentation, satellite communications, and environmental monitoring systems. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she routinely engages with firms capable of delivering ruggedized, high-fidelity sensors and integrated data processing solutions tailored to maritime environments. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, rigorous technical evaluation, and long-term vendor reliability over price alone, fostering partnerships with suppliers who can meet stringent military specifications. She demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, allocating 40% of her acquisitions to small business set-asides—equally divided between Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5 and 8(a) competed contracts. This reflects a deliberate strategy to cultivate innovation from emerging defense contractors while ensuring broad market participation. Her procurement patterns consistently prioritize certified small businesses, particularly those with expertise in specialized manufacturing and telecommunications. Her primary NAICS focus lies in Search, Detection, Navigation, and Aeronautical/Nautical System Manufacturing (334511) and Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), with additional emphasis on Satellite Telecommunications (517410). She procures precision instruments for oceanographic surveying, underwater acoustic arrays, and satellite-linked environmental data transmission systems, demonstrating deep technical fluency in maritime sensing technologies and their integration into naval operational frameworks.