Michael Houts

Michael Houts serves as a key procurement lead within W071 Endist Seattle, a Department of the Army civil engineering unit responsible for delivering critical infrastructure projects across the Pacific Northwest. He manages a diverse portfolio of construction and engineering contracts aligned with military installation resilience, including heavy civil works, hydraulic structures, and shipyard modernization. His acquisitions support the Department of Defense’s mission to sustain operational readiness through robust, mission-critical infrastructure. Houts typically handles complex, multi-year contracts under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, often involving design-build, construction-manager-at-risk, and performance-based service delivery models. He maintains sustained relationships with prime contractors specializing in naval infrastructure and heavy civil construction, including RDC JPA Architecture, FinCantieri Marine Repair LLC, Walsh Federal LLC, Absher Construction Co., and Big River Construction Inc. These partnerships reflect a preference for firms with proven expertise in marine facilities, coastal engineering, and military-grade construction standards. His contracting patterns emphasize long-term vendor collaboration, with repeat awardees demonstrating technical proficiency in ship repair, dredging, and environmental remediation projects. Houts consistently prioritizes small business participation, with 62.5% of his awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to engage qualified small businesses in civil engineering and maritime construction, fostering economic development and workforce capacity within the region. While no specific socioeconomic set-asides are dominant, his portfolio regularly includes SDVOSB and HUBZone contractors, aligning with DoD’s broader goals for inclusive contracting. His primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), reflecting deep expertise in naval infrastructure modernization, followed by 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction) for port, levee, and flood control projects. He also procures specialized electrical and mechanical components for military facilities, demonstrating technical fluency in switchgear, engine systems, and mission-critical infrastructure integration.