James Simmons

James Simmons serves as Deputy Director of Wicomico County Recreation, Parks, & Tourism, where he oversees the strategic procurement of operational and infrastructure support services critical to the agency’s mission of enhancing public access to recreational and waterfront amenities. In this primary contracting role, he directs the acquisition lifecycle for food service and concession operations across county parks, marinas, and cultural facilities, ensuring alignment with public health standards, sustainability goals, and community engagement objectives. His procurement portfolio centers on service contracts that enable seamless visitor experiences while supporting environmental stewardship and tourism development. Simmons maintains consistent working relationships with licensed food service contractors specializing in mobile concessions, catering, and facility-based dining operations. He prioritizes vendors with proven experience in high-volume, outdoor, and seasonal environments, often engaging firms with expertise in compliance with Maryland health codes and ADA-accessible service delivery. His procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting, with clear metrics for cleanliness, customer satisfaction, and operational reliability. His contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of procurements designated as “No Set-Aside,” indicating a focus on capability and service quality over socioeconomic classifications. While he does not prioritize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, he actively evaluates all qualified bidders based on technical merit, past performance, and operational capacity. The agency’s procurement activity is overwhelmingly concentrated in NAICS 722310 — Food Service Contractors — reflecting its core need for managed food and beverage operations in public recreational spaces. Simmons specializes in procuring turnkey concession services, including equipment provision, staffing, inventory management, and compliance with sanitation and safety regulations. His domain expertise lies in seasonal, high-traffic environments where operational continuity and public safety are paramount.