Justin L. Ridlen

Justin L. Ridlen serves as a Procurement & Property Specialist at Federal Correctional Institution Marion, operating under the Bureau of Prisons within the Department of Justice. In this role, he manages the acquisition of food and related subsistence services critical to the institution’s mission of providing safe, secure, and humane care to incarcerated populations. His responsibilities include soliciting, evaluating, and awarding contracts for nutritionally compliant, culturally appropriate, and religiously compliant food products that meet federal dietary standards. Ridlen’s acquisitions primarily support institutional food service operations, ensuring consistent supply chains for meal programs that align with USDA guidelines and inmate welfare objectives. Ridlen collaborates with a diverse network of food manufacturers, distributors, and specialty suppliers, primarily small businesses certified under federal socioeconomic programs. His contracting patterns reflect strong partnerships with vendors capable of delivering frozen specialty foods, fluid milk, baked goods, and egg products under strict federal food safety and logistics protocols. He maintains a consistent, transparent procurement process that prioritizes reliability, compliance, and scalability to meet the demands of a high-volume institutional feeding environment. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Ridlen directs 79% of his procurements toward Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a clear preference for firms that qualify under general small business criteria. While specific set-aside categories like 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB are not dominant in his portfolio, his emphasis on small business eligibility ensures broad socioeconomic inclusion and fosters local economic development through federal contracting. His procurement focus centers on NAICS codes 311999 (Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing), 311412 (Frozen Specialty Foods), 112310 (Chicken Egg Production), 311511 (Fluid Milk Manufacturing), and 311812 (Commercial Bakeries). This specialization reflects deep technical expertise in food safety, cold chain logistics, allergen control, and religious dietary accommodations, positioning him as a key steward of nutritional integrity within the federal correctional system.