Maria Baquerizo-Poole

Maria Baquerizo-Poole serves as a key procurement lead within Mschq Norfolk, operating under the Department of the Navy, where she manages mission-critical acquisitions to sustain the operational readiness of U.S. Navy surface and auxiliary vessels. Her responsibilities center on securing deep-sea freight transportation services and specialized marine logistics solutions that enable continuous fleet deployment. She oversees the full lifecycle of contract actions—from requirements definition and market research to award and performance monitoring—ensuring alignment with naval operational priorities and federal acquisition regulations. Her portfolio is exclusively focused on maritime transportation and support services critical to naval sustainment. She maintains strategic relationships with industry leaders including ExxonMobil Marine Limited, Vigor Marine LLC, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., and Ontic Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc., partnering with vendors capable of delivering complex, high-reliability marine logistics and technical support. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration with firms possessing proven expertise in naval supply chain operations, deep-sea transport, and mission-critical equipment maintenance. These partnerships are built on performance reliability, regulatory compliance, and technical capability rather than transactional engagement. Baquerizo-Poole demonstrates an unwavering commitment to small business participation, with 100% of her acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to cultivate a robust small business base capable of meeting the Navy’s unique maritime logistics demands. Her contracting patterns consistently prioritize small business eligibility, ensuring equitable access to federal opportunities while strengthening the industrial base supporting naval operations. Her procurement focus is singularly centered on NAICS 483111—Deep Sea Freight Transportation—reflecting deep technical expertise in oceanic cargo movement, vessel chartering, and intermodal maritime logistics. She procures services involving heavy-lift transport, containerized naval cargo, and specialized marine freight handling, ensuring seamless sustainment of fleet assets across global operational theaters.