Robert McDermott

Robert McDermott serves as a key procurement professional within Mschq Norfolk, supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to sustain operational readiness of U.S. Navy surface and auxiliary vessels. He manages the acquisition of mission-critical maritime logistics and maintenance services, with a primary focus on deep-sea freight transportation under NAICS 483111. His work ensures the timely movement of naval supplies, spare parts, and equipment across global maritime routes, directly enabling fleet deployment and sustainment. McDermott’s acquisitions are strategically aligned with the Navy’s need for reliable, secure, and scalable marine transportation solutions that support both routine operations and contingency responses. He maintains long-standing relationships with a select group of trusted contractors, including ExxonMobil Marine Limited, Vigor Marine LLC, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Ontic Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc., and the Foreign Policy Research Institute. These partnerships reflect a blend of specialized maritime logistics providers, defense-focused engineering firms, and strategic advisory contractors. McDermott’s contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical compliance, and supply chain resilience, often leveraging performance metrics and service-level agreements to ensure mission continuity. His procurement patterns show a strong preference for open competition, with 66.7% of awards issued without set-asides, while 33.3% are structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This balanced approach reflects a commitment to fostering small business participation without compromising operational requirements. He consistently prioritizes qualified small businesses in the maritime and defense support sectors, aligning with DoD socioeconomic goals while maintaining mission-critical standards. McDermott’s technical domain is exclusively centered on deep-sea freight transportation, encompassing ocean-going vessel charters, intermodal logistics coordination, and specialized cargo handling for naval assets. His expertise lies in procuring services that meet stringent Department of Defense transportation standards, including security protocols, environmental compliance, and global port access requirements. His work ensures the uninterrupted flow of materiel critical to naval force projection and sustainment.