Alison Wicks

Alison Wicks serves as a Contracting Officer at Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, where she plays a critical role in advancing the Department of the Navy’s maritime warfare capabilities through the acquisition of advanced sensor, navigation, and electronic warfare systems. She manages complex procurement actions for research, development, testing, and evaluation programs that support undersea, surface, and aerial domain superiority. Her portfolio emphasizes high-technology systems requiring rigorous technical validation, including sonar arrays, signal processing hardware, and integrated communication platforms essential to naval operational readiness. Wicks maintains strong, long-term relationships with key industry partners including Science Applications International Corporation, Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Astronics Test Systems Inc, Serco Inc, and Mikel Inc. These contractors provide specialized engineering, test and evaluation, and systems integration services aligned with NUWC’s mission-critical needs. Her contracting approach reflects a preference for established vendors with proven expertise in naval systems, while maintaining flexibility to engage innovative firms capable of delivering cutting-edge solutions under stringent performance and security requirements. While the majority of her acquisitions are conducted as unrestricted competitions (71%), Wicks demonstrates a consistent commitment to small business participation, with nearly 29% of her awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. She actively facilitates opportunities for small businesses with relevant technical capabilities, ensuring broad competition while maintaining mission fidelity and technical rigor in procurement outcomes. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334511, encompassing the manufacture of search, detection, navigation, and aeronautical systems, alongside significant activity in engineering services (541330) and testing laboratories (541380). She specializes in acquiring precision instrumentation, embedded electronics, and systems requiring compliance with military specifications, reflecting deep expertise in naval sensor technologies and electronic warfare integration.