James D. Findlay

James D. Findlay serves as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Air Warfare Center Air Division, where he plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisitions for advanced naval aviation systems. His responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle management of contracts supporting the development, testing, and sustainment of mission-critical avionics, electronic warfare suites, and integrated aircraft subsystems. Findlay specializes in procuring technical services and specialized hardware essential to maintaining air superiority and operational readiness across the fleet, with a focus on modernizing sensor architectures and sustaining legacy platforms. He works closely with engineering teams to translate technical requirements into compliant, risk-managed procurement strategies aligned with Department of the Navy directives. Findlay maintains consistent working relationships with leading defense contractors including SABRE SYSTEMS, LLC, THE BOEING COMPANY, SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, SYSTEMS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS, INC., and ONTIC ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING, INC. These partnerships reflect a preference for established industry leaders with proven capabilities in systems integration, mission systems engineering, and precision manufacturing. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical rigor, and risk mitigation through robust contract administration and oversight. While the majority of his acquisitions are conducted under open competition, Findlay demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with over 31% of his awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. He actively leverages small business capabilities in technical services and niche manufacturing, ensuring broad industry engagement while maintaining mission-critical performance standards. His procurement focus centers on NAICS 541512 and 541519 for computer systems design and related IT services, alongside 335999 and 332999 for specialized electrical and fabricated metal components. He routinely acquires engineering services under 541330 to support avionics integration, electronic warfare system upgrades, and mission system modernization across next-generation naval aircraft platforms.