Contracting at Scale: How NAVFAC Northwest Powers Fleet Readiness

Dry Dock 4 (DD4) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility stands as one of the U.S. Navy’s most significant infrastructure investments. Built in 1942, the dry dock now anchors a series of modernization projects designed to meet the demands of today’s fleet. Earlier this month, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Northwest awarded a $377.7 million contract for the project, highlighting both the scale of the shipyard modernization effort and the critical role of contracting expertise in sustaining fleet readiness.

The contract award reflects years of planning, coordination, and technical preparation. “Every contract NAVFAC awards represents the culmination of extensive effort across multiple disciplines,” said Rabi Peifer, NAVFAC Northwest chief contracting officer. “When the project is as large and as visible as the DD4 modernization, it is essential that we put the right leader at the helm to guide it from start to finish.”

Leading the procurement, supervisory contract specialist Nancy Coffee applied her extensive managerial expertise and federal acquisition knowledge to navigate the complexities of the contract initiative.

“Contracting at this level demands both attention to detail and an awareness of how every decision affects the larger mission,” said Coffee. “We are balancing cost, schedule, performance, while never losing sight of why the work matters. Every clause we write, every negotiation we make, is tied directly to the sailors who depend on these facilities.”

The scale of the DD4 modernization brings a unique host of challenges. Since contracts of this magnitude take years to develop and continue to evolve as the project advances, contract specialists like Coffee must have the gift of foresight.

“Large-scale procurements test every part of the contracting process,” said Peifer. “Leaders must anticipate risks, align with engineering and legal teams, and coordinate across multiple commands. Nancy exemplified that foresight and kept this complex project on track.”

“I focused heavily on active listening and applied feedback from reviews and working group meetings to ensure alignment across all stakeholders,” said Coffee. “We maintained constant communication that allowed us to keep the project moving forward without delays.”

The NAVFAC Northwest Contract Support Division drives the Navy’s long-term readiness by managing acquisitions that deliver the facilities, infrastructure, and modernization the fleet requires. Peifer described the division’s contracting vehicles as an “acquisition toolbox”—a suite of options that allows NAVFAC Northwest to deliver new construction and repair projects on time and on budget.

“Our contracting efforts support a variety of highly visible efforts, including the multi-year Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program initiative," said Peifer. “That modernization enables submarine and ship maintenance operations critical to national defense. There is a high impact to the fleet when dry docks or planned maintenance facilities face disruptions.”

Coffee said many outside the Department of Defense would be surprised by the time and effort required to bring a contract, no matter the size, over the finish line. “Task orders can take months to complete, with reviews, document pulls, negotiations, and drafting decisions. This is what makes the process exciting because when we finally award a project like DD4, it’s a true team victory.”

The modernization of DD4 illustrates the Navy’s commitment to ensuring its shipyards remain capable of meeting mission demands well into the future, while also demonstrating the importance of having skilled contracting leaders guide projects from planning to completion. For NAVFAC Northwest, and for professionals like Peifer and Coffee, the work is more than negotiating and awarding contracts—it is about building the foundation for fleet readiness; a responsibility they both take very seriously.

To learn more about the DD4 procurement, visit https://www.dvidshub.net/news/547065/navfac-northwest-seismically-upgrading-psns-dry-dock-4.