Sara Arps

Sara Arps supports the procurement mission of Navsup Fleet Logistics Center Puget Sound by managing critical acquisitions that sustain the operational readiness of U.S. Navy surface and submarine fleets. She specializes in securing industrial-grade marine engineering systems, precision-fabricated hardware, and mission-critical mechanical components essential to vessel integrity and longevity. Her work directly enables the Navy’s ability to maintain, repair, and modernize naval platforms through strategic sourcing of high-reliability systems, with a focus on contract vehicles that ensure timely delivery and technical compliance under naval specifications. Arps maintains consistent contracting relationships with leading industrial suppliers including Timken Gears & Services Inc., Curtiss-Wright Electro-Mechanical Corp, Bellingham Marine Industries, Palfinger Marine USA, and Jered LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in naval-grade valve systems, electro-mechanical actuation, marine fabrication, and customized propulsion components. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, technical validation, and adherence to military standards such as MIL-SPEC and NAVSEA requirements, ensuring procurement aligns with operational lifecycle needs. A strong advocate for small business participation, Arps prioritizes Total Small Business Set-Aside contracts under FAR 19.5, directing approximately 60% of her acquisition portfolio to small businesses. This reflects a deliberate strategy to foster innovation and capacity within the defense industrial base, particularly among firms capable of delivering specialized marine and industrial components. Her contracting patterns consistently favor small business eligibility across multiple socioeconomic categories, reinforcing the Navy’s commitment to equitable access and supplier diversity. Her primary technical focus lies in NAICS 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services), where she procures embedded software and control systems for naval machinery, alongside NAICS 332911 (Industrial Valve Manufacturing), which supports hydraulic and pneumatic systems critical to shipboard operations. This dual emphasis underscores her expertise in integrating digital control infrastructure with physical mechanical systems, ensuring seamless interoperability across complex naval platforms.