James Akhnana

James Akhnana serves as a key procurement professional within the Chicago Operations Branch of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he oversees the acquisition of specialized architectural and technical services critical to maintaining housing quality and regulatory compliance. His responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of contracting actions—from market research and solicitation development to award and contract administration—focused exclusively on ensuring safe, healthy, and code-compliant residential environments. He primarily handles sole-source and competed acquisitions for architectural design, lead-based paint risk assessments, and rent comparability analyses, aligning all procurements with HUD’s mission of equitable housing access and environmental safety. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Akhnana maintains consistent partnerships with firms possessing expertise in residential architectural oversight and housing code compliance. His working relationships are characterized by a preference for firms with demonstrated experience in multifamily housing programs and a proven track record in federal environmental health standards. He engages vendors through structured competitions and targeted outreach, ensuring technical rigor and accountability in service delivery. Akhnana exhibits a strong, deliberate commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with 75% of his acquisitions designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5 and 25% competitively awarded under the 8(a) Business Development Program. This pattern reflects a strategic emphasis on empowering minority-owned and disadvantaged small businesses, aligning with HUD’s broader equity goals and federal small business participation mandates. His procurement activity is entirely concentrated within NAICS 541310 (Architectural Services), underscoring deep specialization in building design, structural assessments, and housing-specific technical consulting. He procures services related to architectural plans, environmental hazard evaluations, and compliance audits—all essential to upholding federal housing quality standards and advancing healthy home initiatives across Chicago’s multifamily housing portfolio.