Richard Banko

Richard Banko serves as a key procurement professional within the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock (N00167), supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to advance maritime warfare capabilities through research, development, and testing of naval platforms. He specializes in managing engineering services contracts critical to signature management, hydrodynamic optimization, propulsion system integration, and sensor survivability for surface and underwater vessels. His acquisitions focus on technical solutions that enhance vessel performance, stealth, and operational resilience, ensuring alignment with Navy modernization priorities. Banko plays a central role in executing mission-critical R&D contracts that bridge advanced engineering analysis with real-world naval system requirements. He maintains consistent working relationships with leading defense and engineering contractors 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 are typically structured around long-term, performance-based engineering services agreements, often involving complex technical deliverables such as computational fluid dynamics modeling, materials testing, and acoustic signature analysis. His procurement approach emphasizes technical rigor, contractor expertise in naval systems, and sustained collaboration on multi-year development efforts. Banko’s contracting portfolio reflects a strict preference for unrestricted competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside categories. This indicates a focus on sourcing the most technically capable providers regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing mission-critical performance over socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in his portfolio, the nature of the work often attracts mid-to-large firms with specialized naval engineering capabilities. His primary procurement focus is firmly centered on NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services), encompassing advanced mechanical, structural, and systems engineering for naval platforms. He procures services related to hydrodynamic testing, vibration analysis, material characterization, and signature reduction technologies, requiring deep domain expertise in naval architecture, acoustics, and survivability engineering.