Mary Ann Gardner

Mary Ann Gardner serves as a Contract Specialist at Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, where she plays a critical role in executing complex acquisitions that support the Department of the Navy’s mission to advance undersea, surface, and aerial warfare capabilities. She manages the full lifecycle of procurements for advanced maritime systems, with a focus on naval sensor technologies, electronic warfare components, and integrated communication systems. Her work ensures timely delivery of mission-critical capabilities through compliant, strategic contracting practices aligned with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements. Gardner maintains strong, long-term relationships with key contractors including Science Applications International Corporation, Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Astronics Test Systems Inc, Serco Inc, and Mikel Inc. These partnerships reflect her expertise in securing specialized engineering and technical services for high-performance naval systems. She consistently engages with vendors possessing deep domain knowledge in electronic systems integration, test and evaluation infrastructure, and defense-grade communications, fostering collaborative relationships built on technical rigor and regulatory compliance. Her contracting approach prioritizes open competition, with 70% of acquisitions conducted without set-asides, while maintaining a robust 30% commitment to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This balance reflects her dedication to maximizing innovation and market responsiveness while ensuring broad vendor participation. She actively supports small business growth through targeted opportunities that align with their technical capabilities. Gardner’s procurement portfolio is heavily concentrated in NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services), 541519 (Other Computer Related Services), and 334417 (Electronic Connector Manufacturing), underscoring her technical focus on systems engineering, software integration, and precision electronic components. Her expertise spans the acquisition of mission-critical hardware and services essential to naval dominance in contested maritime environments.