James Hetzel

James Hetzel serves as a procurement professional within DLA Land at Aberdeen, supporting the Defense Logistics Agency’s mission to sustain and modernize land-based defense platforms through the acquisition of mission-critical electronic and electro-mechanical systems. He manages contracts for advanced signal processing components, avionics, radio and data transmission equipment, and power control systems essential to military command, control, and tactical operations. His work directly enables operational readiness by ensuring timely delivery of high-reliability hardware for armored vehicles, communication hubs, and battlefield electronics, aligning procurement activities with DoD modernization priorities. Hetzel maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Carson Industries, Inc., and Creating Technology Solutions, LLC. These partnerships are centered on the development and integration of specialized electronic assemblies, custom RF modules, and ruggedized communication systems. His contracting approach emphasizes technical precision and supply chain resilience, favoring vendors with proven expertise in military-grade manufacturing standards and rapid prototyping capabilities for field-deployable systems. His procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside classifications. This indicates a focus on technical capability and performance over socioeconomic categorization, prioritizing mission-critical delivery timelines and system interoperability. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, his contracting decisions remain aligned with broader DLA goals for vendor diversity and industrial base sustainability. Hetzel’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334290 (Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing) and 334418 (Printed Circuit Assembly Manufacturing), with significant activity in 336390 for vehicle-mounted electronic subsystems. He specializes in procuring high-integrity printed circuit boards, embedded control units, and power distribution components engineered for extreme environmental conditions, demonstrating deep technical fluency in defense electronics manufacturing and systems integration.