Jesse West, CWO

Jesse West, CWO, serves as a key procurement lead within the SFLC Procurement Branch 1 (70Z080) of the U.S. Coast Guard, under the Department of Homeland Security. Responsible for managing complex maritime acquisition programs, West oversees the full lifecycle of shipbuilding, repair, and maintenance contracts critical to sustaining the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet. Their work ensures operational readiness across coastal, offshore, and open-ocean missions by securing specialized vessel modernization services, dry dock overhauls, and propulsion system upgrades. West’s portfolio is exclusively focused on naval vessel sustainment, with acquisitions centered on structural, mechanical, and systems-level engineering support for federal maritime assets. West maintains long-standing partnerships with a core group of specialized maritime contractors, including Fairbanks Morse, LLC for marine propulsion systems, Bay Ship & Yacht Co for vessel repair and conversion, Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, L.L.C. for shipbuilding, Automatic Coating Limited USA for protective coating applications, and Technico Corporation for technical services. These relationships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in U.S. Coast Guard vessel platforms, often requiring Navy and Coast Guard-specific certifications and experience with dry dock facilities and naval engineering standards. West demonstrates an unwavering commitment to small business participation, with 100% of acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. This consistent policy ensures that qualified small firms—particularly those with niche capabilities in ship repair, marine coatings, and propulsion maintenance—have equitable access to federal maritime contracts. The agency’s socioeconomic strategy prioritizes broad-based small business engagement without reliance on 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB subcategories, emphasizing capability over designation. The procurement portfolio is entirely focused on NAICS 336611—Ship Building and Repairing—reflecting deep technical expertise in naval architecture, vessel structural integrity, corrosion control, and propulsion system integration. West’s acquisitions involve precision engineering services, dry dock scheduling, hull restoration, and compliance with U.S. Coast Guard and ABS classification standards, ensuring vessels meet stringent safety and operational requirements.