James Forde

James Forde serves as a key procurement professional within the Defense Logistics Agency’s Energy Directorate (SPE605), responsible for managing strategic energy supply contracts critical to sustaining global military operations. He oversees the acquisition of petroleum-based fuels, natural gas, and related logistics infrastructure, ensuring compliance with Defense Department readiness requirements. His portfolio centers on complex, mission-critical energy procurement actions that require deep technical understanding of fuel specification standards, supply chain resilience, and distribution logistics. Forde’s work directly supports the DLA Energy mission to maintain uninterrupted energy flow to all branches of the armed forces, with a focus on long-term contract performance and operational continuity. Forde maintains established relationships with a select group of qualified energy contractors specializing in fuel production, storage, and transportation services. While no single vendor dominates his award profile, he consistently engages with firms possessing the technical capacity to meet stringent DoD fuel quality and security standards, including those certified under ISO 9001 and API standards. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, risk mitigation, and supply chain redundancy, fostering partnerships with vendors capable of scaling operations across diverse geographic theaters. Forde demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with over 31% of his acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. While no specific socioeconomic categories such as 8(a) or HUBZone are dominant, his pattern reflects deliberate inclusion of qualified small enterprises capable of delivering energy-related goods and services. This approach supports broader DLA goals to broaden the industrial base while maintaining mission-critical reliability. His procurement focus is overwhelmingly concentrated in NAICS 324110 (Petroleum Refineries), reflecting expertise in the acquisition of refined fuels, blending specifications, and bulk fuel handling systems. He also engages with NAICS 325998 contractors for specialized chemical additives and fuel stabilization products, indicating deep technical familiarity with petroleum chemistry and energy logistics. Forde’s domain expertise lies at the intersection of energy infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and operational readiness.