AFSCO Technology and Industry Liason Office (TILO)

The AFSCO Technology and Industry Liaison Office (TILO) serves as the primary interface between national security stakeholders and the defense technology industrial base, facilitating mission-critical acquisitions aligned with sovereign capability requirements. While not a traditional contracting office, TILO plays a pivotal role in shaping procurement strategy by identifying emerging technological gaps, coordinating interagency requirements, and guiding acquisition planning for sensitive national security systems. It typically handles complex, high-consequence procurements involving classified and controlled unclassified information systems, cyber defense platforms, intelligence analytics tools, and secure communications infrastructure, ensuring alignment with defense and intelligence community standards. TILO does not award contracts directly but cultivates strategic relationships with prime contractors, systems integrators, and research institutions capable of delivering advanced national security solutions. Its working relationships are characterized by early-stage engagement with vendors possessing proven expertise in secure hardware, zero-trust architectures, and classified software development environments. TILO fosters collaboration through industry days, technical working groups, and pre-solicitation outreach, prioritizing vendors with existing clearances, compliance with NIST SP 800-53, and experience in Department of Defense and Intelligence Community acquisition frameworks. TILO’s procurement portfolio is entirely unreserved, with 100% of its acquisitions conducted under open competition without set-asides for 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or other socioeconomic programs. This reflects the highly specialized, security-sensitive nature of its requirements, where technical proficiency, clearance readiness, and supply chain integrity take precedence over socioeconomic preferences. While small businesses may compete, eligibility is contingent upon meeting stringent security and technical criteria. The office’s exclusive focus on NAICS 928110 (National Security) underscores its specialization in defense, intelligence, and homeland security systems. It procures advanced cyber capabilities, signals intelligence platforms, secure satellite communications, and AI-driven threat analysis tools, requiring deep domain expertise in classified systems integration, cryptographic modernization, and compliance with TEMPEST and FISMA standards.