Patricia A. Vara

Patricia A. Vara serves as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock (N00167), where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisitions that support the Navy’s advanced maritime systems development. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle of procurement—from market research and solicitation drafting to contract award and administration—ensuring compliance with FAR and Navy-specific regulations. She primarily manages technical acquisitions in engineering services, sensor integration, and maritime systems testing, aligning procurement strategy with Carderock’s mission to enhance naval vessel survivability, hydrodynamic performance, and signature management capabilities. Patricia maintains consistent working relationships with key industry partners including BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Goodrich Corp., Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, CB Design & Huitt Zollars Joint Venture, LLC, and Westmoreland Mechanical Testing & Research, Inc. These partnerships reflect a focus on high-precision engineering, materials testing, and defense system integration. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, technical feasibility assessments, and performance-based contracting to ensure mission-critical deliverables meet rigorous naval standards. Her contracting patterns show a strong preference for open competition, with 67% of awards issued without set-asides, while maintaining a significant commitment to small business participation—32.2% of awards are structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. Though service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) set-asides are minimal, her portfolio reflects deliberate inclusion of small businesses capable of delivering specialized technical services aligned with Carderock’s R&D priorities. Patricia’s primary NAICS focus areas include engineering services (541330), professional scientific and technical services (541990), and instrument manufacturing for electrical testing (334515), underscoring her expertise in procuring advanced diagnostic systems, computational modeling, and materials characterization services. Her portfolio supports cutting-edge naval research in hydrodynamics, acoustic signature reduction, and sensor performance validation, making her a critical link between technical requirements and industrial capability.