Laurel Bishop

Laurel L. Bishop serves as a Contracting Officer for the Maritime Administration under the U.S. Department of Transportation, where she manages the acquisition of critical maritime infrastructure and vessel support services essential to national security and economic resilience. Her portfolio centers on the modernization and sustainment of the U.S. merchant marine fleet, overseeing full lifecycle procurements for shipbuilding, repair, and related technical services. Bishop ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while advancing the agency’s strategic mission to revitalize domestic shipyards and maintain a ready commercial maritime capability. She maintains consistent working relationships with key industry partners including SPEARS MILTON G, L1 ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED, BAY SHIP & YACHT CO, LOGIS-TECH, LLC, and HF FABRICATION LLC, primarily engaging them for ship repair, fabrication, and maritime logistics support. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, technical evaluation, and performance-based outcomes, fostering reliable partnerships with firms possessing specialized expertise in vessel construction and water transportation systems. While the majority of her acquisitions (83.3%) are conducted without set-asides, Bishop demonstrates a deliberate commitment to small business participation, with 16.7% of her awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. She actively leverages socioeconomic programs to broaden vendor diversity, ensuring qualified small businesses have meaningful access to maritime procurement opportunities. Her technical focus is overwhelmingly concentrated in NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), reflecting deep expertise in naval architecture, dry dock operations, and structural fabrication. She also procures related services under NAICS 483111 (Deep Sea Freight Transportation) and 488390 (Other Support Activities for Water Transportation), demonstrating specialized knowledge in maritime logistics, vessel maintenance, and industrial fabrication. Bishop’s work directly supports the operational readiness of the U.S. merchant fleet through precision-driven, mission-aligned acquisitions.