Nathaniel Dufresne

Nathaniel Dufresne, LT, serves as a contracting officer within the SFLC Procurement Branch 1 (70Z080) of the U.S. Coast Guard, where he oversees the acquisition of critical shipbuilding and maintenance services essential to sustaining the nation’s maritime fleet. His responsibilities include managing full lifecycle contracts for vessel repair, dry dock overhauls, propulsion system modernization, and structural upgrades to ensure operational readiness across coastal and open-ocean missions. Dufresne specializes in complex naval procurement under FAR Part 13 and Part 15, frequently handling competitive sealed bidding and negotiated contracts for shipyard services and maritime industrial support. He maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of specialized shipbuilders and marine contractors, including Fairbanks Morse, LLC, Bay Ship & Yacht Co, Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, L.L.C., and Technico Corporation. These partnerships are built on long-term collaboration in executing technical repairs, retrofitting legacy cutters, and implementing Coast Guard-specific engineering standards. Dufresne prioritizes vendors with proven expertise in naval architecture, marine systems integration, and Coast Guard vessel platforms, fostering reliable, performance-based contractor relationships grounded in technical compliance and schedule discipline. Dufresne demonstrates a robust commitment to small business participation, with 100% of his acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. He actively leverages the small business ecosystem to ensure equitable access to maritime industrial opportunities, consistently awarding contracts to firms certified as small businesses without further socioeconomic subcategories, reflecting a deliberate focus on broad-based small business engagement across the ship repair sector. His procurement portfolio is exclusively focused on NAICS 336611—Ship Building and Repairing—reflecting deep expertise in naval vessel maintenance, dry docking procedures, and marine fabrication. He procures services including hull rehabilitation, electrical and mechanical system overhauls, corrosion control, and propulsion upgrades, requiring precise adherence to Coast Guard technical specifications and naval engineering standards.