Jessica Chu

Jessica Chu supports the Military Sealift Command’s mission by managing critical procurement activities for strategic sealift and ocean transportation services. As a key member of the agency’s contracting team, she oversees the acquisition of vessel charter services, navigational support, and related logistics capabilities essential to sustaining global naval operations. Her portfolio primarily involves complex, long-term contracts for deep-sea freight transportation, ensuring the availability of government-owned and chartered vessels that enable expeditionary warfare and force projection. She works within the Federal Acquisition Regulation framework to ensure compliance, competitive sourcing, and operational readiness across a high-stakes maritime logistics environment. Chu engages with a diverse range of maritime contractors, including large commercial shipping operators, specialized ocean transportation providers, and engineering support firms offering vessel maintenance and navigational services. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established industry partners with proven track records in military sealift operations, while maintaining open competition to ensure cost-effectiveness and service reliability. She collaborates closely with program managers and technical evaluators to align contract requirements with operational needs, fostering transparent and performance-based vendor relationships. Her procurement strategy prioritizes broad competition, with 80% of acquisitions conducted without set-asides, reflecting the scale and complexity of sealift requirements. However, she actively supports small business participation, consistently allocating 20% of contract opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. While no specific socioeconomic categories dominate her portfolio, her approach reflects a balanced commitment to enabling small business access to high-value maritime contracts without compromising mission-critical capabilities. Chu’s technical focus centers on NAICS 483111 (Deep Sea Freight Transportation), which accounts for over 60% of her acquisitions, alongside navigational services under 488330. She procures charter services for dry cargo and roll-on/roll-off vessels, marine logistics support, and vessel crewing solutions. Her expertise lies in maritime logistics, fleet sustainment, and the integration of commercial shipping capacity into DoD operational frameworks, ensuring seamless global mobility for U.S. naval forces.