Karina Gudiel, Contract Specialist

Karina Gudiel serves as the primary Point of Contact for the U.S. Coast Guard, supporting the agency’s acquisition mission under the Department of Homeland Security. She facilitates the planning, solicitation, and administration of complex procurement actions critical to maritime infrastructure, vessel sustainment, and facility modernization. Her role involves coordinating with program managers, technical evaluators, and legal advisors to ensure compliance with federal acquisition regulations, particularly in construction and engineering domains. Gudiel handles a high-volume portfolio of contracts requiring rigorous technical review and risk mitigation, often involving long-term infrastructure investments and mission-critical upgrades to coastal and inland waterway operational assets. She maintains established working relationships with key defense and construction contractors including Huntington Ingalls Inc., Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, L.L.C., Airbus U.S. Space & Defense Inc., Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, and L3Harris Technologies Integrated Systems L.P. These partnerships span shipbuilding, facility construction, and integrated systems modernization, reflecting a preference for experienced prime contractors capable of delivering large-scale, mission-aligned solutions under stringent operational and security requirements. Gudiel’s engagement with these vendors is characterized by structured collaboration, transparent communication, and adherence to performance-based contracting principles. Gudiel demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, consistently prioritizing small business participation through a balanced set-aside strategy. Her portfolio reflects a 50% preference for Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, complemented by 25% allocated to 8(a) firms and 25% to total small business set-asides. This pattern underscores a deliberate effort to foster vendor diversity and build capacity among disadvantaged small businesses in the defense and civil engineering sectors. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction) and 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction), indicating expertise in shore infrastructure development, port facility upgrades, and large-scale construction projects supporting Coast Guard operational readiness. She routinely oversees acquisitions for dredging, seawall reinforcement, energy-efficient facility retrofits, and mission-support buildings, requiring deep familiarity with federal construction standards and environmental compliance protocols.