AJ Diaz

AJ Diaz serves as a key procurement lead within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), driving the acquisition of high-risk, high-reward research and development initiatives aligned with the agency’s mission to enable transformative military technologies. Responsible for managing complex R&D contracts, Diaz oversees the solicitation, evaluation, and award of technical solutions in physical, engineering, and life sciences, with a focus on breakthrough capabilities in autonomous systems, next-generation computing, and bio-integrated platforms. Their work directly supports DARPA’s programmatic objectives by securing innovative capabilities from industry and academia, ensuring rapid prototyping and transition of cutting-edge technologies to the warfighter. Diaz maintains strategic relationships with a select group of specialized contractors including AEROSPACE & COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LLC, PENNSYLVANIA & SOUTHERN RAILWAY LLC, and ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC. These partnerships reflect a preference for technically advanced firms with proven expertise in defense-critical R&D domains, often engaging organizations capable of rapid iteration, prototype development, and cross-disciplinary integration. Relationships are typically performance-driven, emphasizing technical agility and mission alignment over volume or scale. There is no set-aside preference in Diaz’s procurement portfolio; all awards are competed fully and openly under unrestricted solicitation. This reflects DARPA’s emphasis on identifying the most technically capable performers regardless of size or socioeconomic status, prioritizing innovation and capability over compliance-based set-asides. The primary NAICS classification for all acquisitions is 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology). Diaz focuses on procuring advanced scientific services including materials science, neurotechnology, quantum computing architectures, and autonomous system integration, consistently supporting DARPA’s most ambitious programs aimed at maintaining U.S. technological superiority.