James E. Leighty

James E. Leighty serves as a Contracting Officer responsible for managing the full lifecycle of defense and aerospace procurement actions, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and mission-critical delivery timelines. His role centers on executing competitive and non-competitive acquisitions for complex aircraft manufacturing systems, including airframes, propulsion components, avionics, and associated support services. As the primary contracting authority for these procurements, he evaluates source selection criteria, negotiates contract terms, and oversees contract administration to ensure technical performance, cost efficiency, and regulatory adherence across the acquisition spectrum. Leighty maintains professional relationships with a broad range of prime contractors specializing in aerospace engineering and systems integration, including established defense manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers with proven technical capabilities in aircraft production. His contracting approach emphasizes rigorous source evaluation, performance-based acquisition strategies, and contract compliance monitoring to mitigate risk and ensure delivery of mission-ready systems. While specific vendor names are not disclosed in available records, his procurement patterns reflect a preference for established industry partners with demonstrated experience in high-integrity manufacturing environments. Mr. Leighty’s contracting portfolio is entirely composed of non-set-aside acquisitions, indicating a focus on full and open competition without socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB preferences. This pattern suggests an operational priority on technical capability, production scale, and supply chain reliability over socioeconomic targeting, consistent with the specialized nature of aircraft manufacturing requirements. His primary procurement focus is exclusively under NAICS 336411 — Aircraft Manufacturing — reflecting deep expertise in the design, production, and sustainment of military and commercial aircraft systems. He routinely handles acquisitions for airframe structures, flight control systems, engine integration, and associated logistics support, demonstrating specialized knowledge in aerospace engineering standards, defense specifications, and production quality assurance protocols.