Willie Ross

Willie Ross serves as a secondary procurement liaison within the Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to sustain and modernize naval surface platforms. While not the lead contracting officer, Ross plays a critical role in facilitating acquisition planning, vendor coordination, and contract administration for shipbuilding and repair initiatives. Their work ensures timely procurement of structural metal systems, mechanical subsystems, and precision components essential to fleet readiness, aligning closely with the center’s industrial support objectives. Ross typically handles complex, technical acquisitions under the Ship Building and Repairing NAICS code, often interfacing with prime contractors and subcontractors to meet stringent naval engineering standards. Ross maintains consistent working relationships with key industrial partners including Fairlead Boatworks, Inc., General Dynamics Information Technology, Howard W. Pence, Inc., and Kampi Components Co., Inc. These vendors provide specialized shipyard services, maintenance support, and engineered components critical to vessel integrity. The working pattern reflects a preference for established, experienced contractors with proven naval industrial capabilities, often leveraging long-term performance histories and technical certifications to ensure compliance with Navy specifications and quality assurance protocols. A balanced approach to socioeconomic contracting is evident in Ross’s portfolio, with approximately half of acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5 and the other half awarded as open competitions. This reflects a deliberate strategy to foster small business participation without compromising access to mission-critical capabilities. While no specific set-aside programs like 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB dominate, the consistent 50% small business allocation demonstrates a strong institutional commitment to broadening vendor diversity within the naval industrial base. The procurement focus is exclusively centered on NAICS 336611—Ship Building and Repairing—encompassing structural fabrication, hull modifications, propulsion subsystem integration, and shore-based maintenance infrastructure. Ross’s expertise lies in managing acquisitions for high-integrity metal systems and mechanical assemblies that directly impact vessel safety, seaworthiness, and operational endurance, ensuring alignment with Navy shipyard modernization priorities.