Craft Engineering Associates, Inc.

Craft Engineering Associates, Inc., based in Hampton, Virginia, is a for-profit manufacturer and engineering services provider specializing in research, engineering design, analysis, fabrication, and inspection services for naval platforms and systems. As a registered federal contractor since 2001, the company has established itself as a capable partner for the U.S. Navy, bringing relevant expertise to complex maritime engineering challenges. The company focuses on supporting Navy research and development initiatives, particularly those involving advanced naval systems and operational capabilities.

Craft Engineering Associates, Inc. has demonstrated substantial expertise in naval engineering through its prime federal contract awards, totaling approximately $3.3 million in identified contracts. The company's primary work has centered on the Vertical Launch System (VLS), a rapid-fire missile launching system deployed across multiple Navy vessel classes, for which it has provided engineering services, design support, and cargo handling system development. Most notably, the company received a $2,856,651.00 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III definitive contract from the Office of Naval Research, awarded in October 2021 and extending through October 2026, focused on dynamic positioning and motion control during cargo transfer operations—research that has directly informed subsequent operational work. Additionally, Craft Engineering Associates, Inc. has received two delivery orders from the Naval Sea Systems Command: a $335,508.81 award in June 2025 for offshore cargo handling and VLS services with completion targeted for September 2026, and a $105,672.47 award in January 2021 for VLS engineering services. The company also served as a subcontractor to The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC in April 2024 for canister-related work. All identified prime contract awards were non-small-business set-aside designations except for the SBIR Phase III contract, which carried a total small business set-aside designation, reflecting the company's qualification as a small business entity within the federal contracting community.