James K. Murakami

James K. Murakami serves as a Contract Specialist at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard IMF, where he plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical procurement actions to sustain and modernize the U.S. Navy’s fleet. Responsible for managing the full lifecycle of contracts for ship repair, maintenance, and industrial infrastructure support, Murakami ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurements with the shipyard’s strategic readiness objectives. His portfolio primarily encompasses complex, technical acquisitions tied to naval vessel overhauls, mechanical system refurbishments, and precision engineering services essential to maintaining operational availability of the Navy’s surface and submarine fleets. Murakami maintains longstanding relationships with key industrial partners including NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION, PACIFIC INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT CORP, XLEAGLE LLC, FAIRBANKS MORSE, LLC, and PHILIP RIEKE. These partnerships reflect a preference for established defense contractors with proven expertise in marine propulsion, heavy machinery, and shipyard-specific fabrication services. His contracting approach emphasizes reliability, technical capability, and past performance, often leveraging indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) and cost-reimbursement contract types to accommodate the variable nature of shipyard workloads. A significant portion of Murakami’s acquisitions—45%—are set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting. While no single small business category dominates, his portfolio consistently supports Total Small Business Set-Asides, fostering opportunities for qualified firms in the ship repair and industrial services sectors. His procurement focus is overwhelmingly centered on NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), accounting for nearly 95% of his activity. This reflects deep technical expertise in naval architecture, hull maintenance, propulsion system upgrades, and shipyard infrastructure support, positioning him as a key enabler of the Navy’s industrial base resilience.