Milton G Spears

Milton G. Spears serves as a Contracts Specialist within the Maritime Administration, supporting the agency’s mission to sustain and modernize the U.S. merchant marine fleet through strategic procurement of vessel construction, repair, and technical services. He manages the full lifecycle of federal contracts under FAR Part 19 and Part 37, with a focus on complex shipbuilding and engineering acquisitions that enhance national maritime security and domestic industrial capacity. His work directly enables the agency’s strategic priorities by ensuring timely, compliant, and cost-effective delivery of critical maritime infrastructure and operational support services. Spears maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of specialized vendors, including L1 Enterprises Incorporated, Bay Ship & Yacht Co., Logis-Tech, LLC, and HF Fabrication LLC. These contractors provide specialized capabilities in shipyard modernization, vessel maintenance, and maritime engineering services, reflecting a preference for established, technically proficient firms with proven experience in federal maritime programs. His contracting patterns emphasize long-term vendor partnerships grounded in performance history and regulatory compliance, fostering reliability in mission-critical procurement. A strong advocate for small business participation, Spears consistently prioritizes Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, with approximately 72.7% of his acquisitions designated for small businesses. His procurement portfolio reflects a deliberate commitment to socioeconomic goals, regularly awarding contracts to small disadvantaged, woman-owned, and HUBZone-certified firms within the maritime industrial base. This pattern supports broader federal objectives to strengthen domestic shipbuilding capacity through inclusive contracting practices. His primary technical focus lies in NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), accounting for over half of his acquisitions, followed by engineering services under NAICS 541330. He procures specialized services including dry-dock modifications, marine systems integration, navigational support, and vessel retrofitting, demonstrating deep expertise in maritime technical domains and regulatory compliance for federally funded shipyard operations.