Sean Black

LCDR Sean W. Black serves as a contracting officer within Mschq Norfolk, a critical logistics and sustainment unit under the Department of the Navy, where he manages acquisition programs essential to maintaining the operational readiness of U.S. Navy surface and auxiliary vessels. His responsibilities include planning, soliciting, awarding, and administering contracts for deep-sea freight transportation, marine logistics support, and specialized navigational services. He plays a pivotal role in ensuring the continuous deployment of fleet assets by securing mission-critical maritime capabilities that support global naval operations. His procurement portfolio is heavily focused on complex, high-stakes contracts requiring stringent compliance with DoD and FAR regulations, particularly those involving international shipping lanes and defense-unique marine infrastructure. LCDR Black maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of prime contractors, including ExxonMobil Marine Limited for fuel and maritime logistics, Vigor Marine LLC for ship repair and maintenance services, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. for operational analysis and systems integration, and Ontic Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc. for mission-critical marine components. He also engages with the Foreign Policy Research Institute for strategic maritime policy advisory services. His contracting approach emphasizes long-term vendor partnerships grounded in performance-based outcomes, technical reliability, and regulatory compliance, often leveraging indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) and requirements contracts to ensure responsive, scalable support. His procurement strategy reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 75% of awards issued without set-asides, while maintaining a deliberate 25% commitment to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. He actively supports small business participation through targeted solicitations, fostering opportunities for qualified small businesses in marine logistics and technical services without compromising mission requirements. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 483111 (Deep Sea Freight Transportation), which accounts for 75% of his portfolio, and NAICS 488330 (Navigational Services to Shipping), representing 25%. He specializes in procuring ocean-going cargo transport, vessel tracking systems, port-to-ship logistics coordination, and maritime navigation support services, demonstrating deep expertise in global maritime supply chain operations and defense transportation logistics.