Ryan DiFernando

Ryan Difernando serves as the Alternate Point of Contact for Base New Orleans (70Z029), supporting the U.S. Coast Guard’s mission to sustain and modernize shore-based infrastructure critical to maritime safety and environmental stewardship. In this capacity, he assists in the planning, solicitation, and administration of facility-related acquisitions, with a focus on shipyard maintenance, building systems, and utilities infrastructure. He plays a vital role in ensuring procurement activities align with federal acquisition regulations and the agency’s strategic resilience goals, particularly in high-hazard coastal environments. His work typically involves technical and construction-related contracts requiring specialized engineering and facility support expertise. While specific contractor names are not publicly available, Difernando engages with a diverse ecosystem of vendors specializing in shipbuilding, industrial machinery repair, and facilities support services. His procurement patterns reflect collaboration with firms possessing niche capabilities in marine infrastructure, metal fabrication, and building systems maintenance. He works closely with both large primes and small business subcontractors to ensure technical compliance and mission readiness, fostering partnerships that prioritize long-term operational reliability over short-term cost savings. Difernando’s office demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with 76.6% of acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5 and an additional 4.3% reserved for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. This reflects a deliberate strategy to maximize small business participation in critical infrastructure sustainment, aligning with broader Coast Guard and DoD goals to strengthen the defense industrial base through inclusive contracting. His team consistently prioritizes small business eligibility and compliance in source selection evaluations. The agency’s procurement activity is heavily concentrated in NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), accounting for nearly 80% of activity, indicating deep expertise in maritime infrastructure maintenance. Additional focus areas include commercial and industrial machinery repair, metal window and door manufacturing, and facilities support services. Difernando’s domain expertise centers on complex, technical acquisitions involving structural integrity, corrosion control, and utility system upgrades essential to Coast Guard operational continuity.