Thomas Howes

Thomas Howes serves as the primary contracting representative for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, where he manages the acquisition of critical ordnance systems, explosives, and precision instrumentation essential to naval warfare readiness. His role centers on executing complex procurements aligned with the Navy’s mission to modernize munitions manufacturing and enhance weapon system reliability through advanced engineering and testing services. He specializes in high-stakes, technically demanding contracts involving specialized fabrication, ordnance handling systems, and mission-critical support services, ensuring compliance with DoD acquisition regulations and operational urgency requirements. Howes maintains consistent partnerships with a select group of specialized vendors, including TOTAL CONCEPTS OF DESIGN INC, Boh Environmental, L.L.C., CHUCKING MACHINE PRODUCTS, INC., CANADIAN COMMERCIAL CORP, and DEVAL LIFE CYCLE SUPPORT LLC. These relationships reflect a preference for contractors with deep expertise in ordnance manufacturing, hazardous material handling, and precision metal fabrication. His procurement approach emphasizes technical capability over volume, fostering long-term vendor collaboration to meet stringent military specifications and lifecycle sustainment needs. His contracting portfolio reflects a strong orientation toward open competition, with 81.3% of awards issued without set-aside designations, indicating a focus on technical merit and industrial capacity rather than socioeconomic preferences. However, he consistently allocates 18.8% of opportunities to total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a measured but deliberate commitment to small business participation within the ordnance industrial base. Howes’ procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 332994 (Small Arms, Ordnance, and Ordnance Accessories Manufacturing), 332993 (Ammunition Manufacturing), and 332999 (Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing). He primarily acquires specialized components for explosive train systems, precision machining for munitions housings, and engineered solutions for safe ordnance storage and handling—reflecting deep domain expertise in defense manufacturing and explosive safety protocols.