Ricardo Cruz

Ricardo Cruz serves as a Property & Procurement Specialist at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac (FDC SeaTac), operating under the Bureau of Prisons within the Department of Justice. In this role, he manages the acquisition of specialized food services and related supplies critical to the institution’s mission of providing constitutionally compliant, culturally appropriate meals—including Kosher and Halal options—to incarcerated individuals. His responsibilities encompass end-to-end procurement lifecycle management for institutional feeding programs, ensuring adherence to federal dietary standards and religious accommodation requirements under FAR and USDA guidelines. He primarily handles service and supply contracts for food manufacturing, dairy, and meal preparation solutions that support large-scale, high-compliance institutional operations. Ricardo collaborates with a network of certified food manufacturers and dairy processors who specialize in religiously compliant, shelf-stable, and refrigerated institutional food products. His vendor partnerships are characterized by a focus on quality assurance, traceability, and regulatory compliance, particularly around allergen control, halal/kosher certification, and nutritional labeling. He maintains consistent engagement with suppliers who demonstrate capacity for scalable, repeat delivery under strict federal institutional protocols, prioritizing vendors with proven experience in correctional food service environments. A staunch advocate for socioeconomic equity in federal contracting, Ricardo consistently directs 100% of eligible procurements toward small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, ensuring maximum participation by small, disadvantaged, and locally based suppliers. His contracting patterns reflect a deliberate strategy to foster economic opportunity within the small business community, with no preference for large prime contractors. This approach aligns with the Bureau of Prisons’ broader commitment to inclusive procurement and community-based supplier development. His procurement focus centers on NAICS 311999 (All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing) and 311511 (Fluid Milk Manufacturing), reflecting his specialization in institutional meal kits, fortified dairy products, and value-added food items tailored to religious and nutritional mandates. He brings deep technical expertise in food safety standards, HACCP compliance, and the logistical demands of feeding populations under federal custody, ensuring all acquisitions meet the rigorous operational and ethical benchmarks of the Federal Prison System.