Darlene Shipp

Darlene Shipp supports the procurement mission of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center under the Department of the Navy, facilitating critical acquisitions that sustain and modernize naval surface platforms and shore-based infrastructure. She manages contracts for specialized shipbuilding components, structural metal systems, and mechanical subsystems essential to fleet readiness, ensuring compliance with naval engineering standards and industrial support requirements. Her work directly enables the center’s operational continuity by securing precision-engineered parts and fabricated metal products vital to vessel integrity and maintenance cycles. Shipp maintains longstanding relationships with key industrial partners including Fairlead Boatworks, Inc., General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc., Howard W. Pence, Inc., and Kampi Components Co., Inc., reflecting a preference for established vendors with proven expertise in naval-grade fabrication and industrial systems. Her contracting patterns emphasize reliability, technical compliance, and long-term supply chain stability, often renewing partnerships with contractors who demonstrate consistent adherence to Navy specifications and quality control protocols. A strong advocate for small business participation, Shipp consistently prioritizes Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, with nearly 78% of her acquisitions reserved for small businesses. This reflects a deliberate strategy to cultivate a resilient, diverse supplier base capable of delivering specialized metal components and repair services, aligning with Department of the Navy socioeconomic goals and enhancing regional industrial capacity. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS categories including 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), 332510 (Hardware Manufacturing), and 332999 (Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing), with additional emphasis on industrial valves and bearing systems. She specializes in acquiring precision-engineered metal fabrications, structural fittings, and mechanical subsystems critical to shipboard systems, demonstrating deep technical familiarity with naval maintenance requirements and industrial manufacturing standards.