James E Besse

James E. Besse serves as a Contract Specialist within NAVFACSYSCOM Mid-Atlantic, supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to deliver resilient, mission-critical infrastructure across Navy and Marine Corps installations in the Mid-Atlantic region. In this role, he manages the full lifecycle of construction, renovation, and utilities-related acquisitions, ensuring compliance with FAR and DFARS regulations while aligning procurements with operational readiness goals. His work directly supports the modernization of aging facilities, base sustainment, and environmental compliance initiatives, primarily through design-build, construction, and professional services contracts requiring rigorous technical oversight and risk mitigation. Besse maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of established contractors, including Ryan Construction Co. Inc., Weeks-Cashman JV, Appledore Marine - CH2M JV, W.M. Jordan Company, Incorporated, and McKenzie Construction & Site Development LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for experienced, pre-qualified firms with demonstrated capabilities in military construction, marine works, site development, and complex infrastructure projects. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, robust contract administration, and long-term vendor reliability over transactional engagements. His procurement patterns show a strong orientation toward open competition, with 90% of acquisitions issued without set-asides, reflecting the scale and complexity of projects requiring broad industry participation. The remaining 10% are structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, indicating a measured but intentional commitment to small business inclusion—particularly among firms with proven construction and engineering expertise—without compromising mission-critical delivery timelines or technical standards. While specific NAICS codes are not available, Besse’s portfolio is concentrated in military construction, facility modernization, and utilities infrastructure, encompassing services such as site grading, utility relocation, building rehabilitation, and environmental remediation. His technical expertise lies in managing high-stakes, multi-disciplinary projects that demand coordination between civil engineers, environmental specialists, and military stakeholders to ensure compliance with DoD standards and operational requirements.