Michael Farris

Michael Farris serves as the primary procurement lead for the U.S. Coast Guard’s SFLC Procurement Branch 1 (70Z080), overseeing the acquisition of critical maritime assets to sustain and modernize the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet. His role centers on managing full lifecycle contracts for shipbuilding, repair, and maintenance of naval vessels, ensuring operational readiness for coastal, offshore, and open-ocean missions. He handles complex, technically demanding procurements under FAR Part 13 and Part 15, frequently coordinating with engineering and logistics teams to align contracting strategies with vessel modernization goals and life-extension initiatives. Farris maintains consistent working relationships with leading maritime industrial contractors including Fairbanks Morse, LLC, Bay Ship & Yacht Co, Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, L.L.C., Automatic Coating Limited USA, and Technico Corporation. These partnerships reflect a focus on specialized shipyard services, propulsion system upgrades, hull coatings, and dry-dock overhauls. His contracting approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, technical compliance, and performance-based outcomes, often leveraging indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) and cost-reimbursement contract types to accommodate the variable nature of vessel maintenance cycles. His procurement strategy prioritizes small business participation, with over 40% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a strong commitment to expanding economic opportunity within the maritime industrial base. While the majority of contracts remain open competition, he occasionally employs local area set-asides under FAR 26.2 to support regional shipyards and service providers, aligning with Coast Guard regional operational needs. Farris’s expertise is concentrated in NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), accounting for 93% of his portfolio, with deep technical proficiency in naval architecture, marine propulsion systems, and corrosion-resistant coating applications. He procures specialized marine equipment, structural repairs, and integrated systems upgrades, ensuring vessels meet Coast Guard safety, environmental, and mission-readiness standards. His domain knowledge spans dry-dock procedures, weld integrity testing, and marine electrical retrofitting, positioning him as a key technical contracting authority within the maritime defense sector.