James D. Bartha

James D. Bartha serves as a Contracting Officer for the Maritime Administration under the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he plays a pivotal role in securing critical shipbuilding and repair services essential to the operational readiness of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. His procurement portfolio centers on maintaining aging vessels in reserve status to ensure national security readiness, with a primary focus on complex maritime infrastructure projects. Bartha manages full lifecycle contracts—from solicitation and evaluation to award and administration—ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and mission-driven objectives aligned with the agency’s mandate to preserve the nation’s strategic maritime assets. Bartha maintains long-standing relationships with specialized maritime contractors, including Bay Marine Boatworks, Inc., Bay Ship & Yacht Co., and Revel Environmental Manufacturing, Inc., all of which possess deep expertise in vessel repair, dry-docking, and environmental compliance systems. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven experience in naval architecture, structural steelwork, and corrosion control, enabling the agency to execute technically demanding maintenance and modernization efforts. His contracting approach emphasizes reliability, technical proficiency, and consistent performance, fostering stable vendor relationships built on shared mission priorities. Bartha’s procurement activity reflects a 100% no set-aside pattern, indicating a focus on capability-driven competition rather than socioeconomic set-asides. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB designations, his acquisitions remain open to all qualified vendors, with selection criteria grounded in technical merit, past performance, and compliance with maritime safety standards. His primary NAICS focus is 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), accounting for 80% of his portfolio, with additional activity in 922160 (Fire Protection) to support vessel safety systems. He specializes in procuring dry-dock services, hull restoration, propulsion system overhauls, and fire suppression upgrades—domain-specific acquisitions requiring rigorous engineering oversight and adherence to U.S. Coast Guard and MARAD technical specifications.