Ione M. Cataldo

Ione M. Cataldo serves as a Contracting Officer for the W07V Endist New Orleans under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, managing complex civil works procurements critical to Gulf Coast infrastructure resilience. She oversees the acquisition of large-scale hydraulic and civil engineering projects focused on flood risk reduction, coastal restoration, and water resource management. Her portfolio includes design-build, construction, and technical services contracts aligned with the Army’s mission to safeguard vulnerable Louisiana waterways from storm surge and erosion. Cataldo specializes in competitive sealed bidding and negotiated acquisitions under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, ensuring compliance with federal standards while advancing mission-critical infrastructure objectives. Cataldo maintains longstanding relationships with key contractors including WEEKS MARINE, INC., PRECISION CONSTRUCTION LLC, M.R. PITTMAN GROUP, L.L.C., MUDDY WATER DREDGING, LP, and RED BISON SERVICES, LLC. These partnerships reflect a consistent reliance on specialized firms with proven expertise in dredging, heavy civil construction, and environmental remediation. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical qualification, and contractor track records in challenging coastal environments, fostering reliable, long-term vendor collaboration grounded in accountability and regulatory adherence. While the majority of her acquisitions (77.8%) are unrestricted, Cataldo demonstrates a meaningful commitment to small business participation, with 22.2% of awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. She prioritizes equitable access for qualified small businesses without relying heavily on specialized socioeconomic set-asides, instead favoring broad small business eligibility to promote competition and capacity building within the regional contractor base. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction), reflecting deep expertise in large-scale earthmoving, levee construction, and hydraulic structure development. She also procures technical consulting services (NAICS 541690) and specialized marine equipment supply (NAICS 424720), underscoring her technical command over integrated civil works projects that blend engineering, environmental compliance, and logistical coordination in sensitive coastal ecosystems.