Joel Auer

Joel Auer serves as a Contract Specialist at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard IMF (N32253), supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to sustain and modernize the U.S. Navy’s fleet through precision ship repair, maintenance, and industrial infrastructure modernization. In this role, he manages the full lifecycle of procurement actions for mission-critical naval vessel overhauls, including mechanical, electrical, and propulsion system refurbishments. His acquisitions are primarily centered on shipbuilding and repair services, ensuring operational readiness through contract execution that aligns with Navy industrial base priorities and defense acquisition regulations. Auer maintains consistent working relationships with key industrial partners including Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Pacific Industrial Equipment Corp, XLEAGLE LLC, Fairbanks Morse, LLC, and Philip Rieke. These vendors provide specialized engineering, machinery overhaul, and marine system components essential to shipyard operations. His procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, technical compliance, and performance-based contract management to support complex, high-stakes repair cycles requiring stringent quality controls and naval specifications. Auer demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with 73.5% of his acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. His contracting patterns reflect a deliberate focus on leveraging the capabilities of small disadvantaged, HUBZone, and service-disabled veteran-owned firms to meet the shipyard’s technical demands while advancing socioeconomic goals. This high set-aside rate underscores his alignment with Department of the Navy mandates to expand small business access to defense industrial opportunities. His procurement portfolio is overwhelmingly focused on NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repairing), reflecting deep expertise in naval vessel maintenance, dry dock operations, and propulsion system restoration. He also procures specialized industrial machinery repair services under NAICS 811310, ensuring the shipyard’s mechanical infrastructure remains operational. Auer’s technical domain expertise lies in naval shipyard systems, including hydraulic, diesel, and auxiliary equipment maintenance, requiring a nuanced understanding of military-grade engineering standards and supply chain resilience.