Jennifer M. Zercher

Jennifer Zercher serves as a key procurement lead at the Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (N55236), supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to sustain and modernize naval vessel readiness through industrial and maintenance contracting. She manages a portfolio of acquisitions centered on shipbuilding, repair, and industrial infrastructure services, ensuring fleet assets remain operationally viable through timely and technically sound contracting actions. Her work directly enables critical maintenance cycles, including dry-dock overhauls and system modernization, by securing specialized capabilities essential to naval engineering operations. Zercher maintains long-standing relationships with core contractors including W.V. Construction Company, Turn Key Scaffolding LLC, Premier Scaffolding, Inc., Fairbanks Morse, LLC, and The Sherwin-Williams Company, reflecting a consistent reliance on established vendors with proven expertise in marine construction, industrial scaffolding, propulsion systems, and protective coatings. Her contracting patterns favor repeat engagements with vendors who demonstrate technical proficiency, regulatory compliance, and reliable performance in high-stakes naval environments, fostering stable, mission-critical supply chains. Her procurement strategy prioritizes open competition, with 85.7% of awards issued without set-asides, indicating a focus on technical capability and readiness over socioeconomic preferences. However, she consistently allocates 14.3% of contracts to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a measured but active commitment to small business participation within the constraints of mission-critical timelines and specialized technical requirements. Zercher’s primary industry focus is NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), accounting for nearly all of her acquisitions, with secondary emphasis on NAICS 325510 (Paint and Coating Manufacturing) for corrosion control and hull protection systems. She specializes in procuring complex marine industrial services, including structural repairs, coating applications, and propulsion system maintenance, requiring deep familiarity with naval engineering standards and Department of Defense specifications.