Kelly Ridle

Kelly Ridle, LT, serves as a contracting officer within the U.S. Coast Guard’s Base New Orleans (70Z029), responsible for managing the acquisition of critical facility support services essential to operational readiness. In this role, she ensures the procurement of infrastructure maintenance and security services that uphold the Coast Guard’s mission of maritime safety and environmental stewardship. Her portfolio centers on facility management contracts, particularly those involving physical security, access control, and perimeter surveillance, aligning with the agency’s strategic focus on resilient, secure shore-based infrastructure. She executes full lifecycle acquisitions under FAR and DFARS guidelines, ensuring compliance with federal standards for facility operations. Ridle maintains consistent working relationships with a network of qualified service providers specializing in armed and unarmed security patrol services, facility monitoring, and access management systems. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she routinely engages with vendors possessing relevant certifications in federal security contracting and experience supporting federal maritime installations. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, vendor reliability, and adherence to Coast Guard security protocols, fostering long-term partnerships with contractors capable of delivering 24/7 operational support. Ridle’s contracting activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under non-set-aside conditions. This indicates a focus on capability and readiness over socioeconomic preferences, prioritizing mission-critical service delivery above targeted small business set-asides. While she does not routinely utilize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her awards remain accessible to all qualified vendors, ensuring the widest possible competition for essential security services. Her primary procurement focus is NAICS 561612 (Security Guards and Patrol Services), reflecting deep expertise in contracting for physical security operations, including armed patrols, surveillance systems integration, and facility access control. She specializes in procuring services that protect Coast Guard assets from unauthorized access, sabotage, and environmental threats, demonstrating technical fluency in federal security standards and facility protection protocols.