Allison N. McCowan

Allison McCowan serves as a secondary contracting professional within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s FA8651 Rwk office, supporting the Department of the Air Force’s mission to advance high-risk, high-reward aerospace and defense technologies. She plays a critical role in executing complex research and development procurements focused on next-generation air, space, and hypersonic systems, including autonomy, guided missile technologies, and infrared scene projection. Her responsibilities involve managing the acquisition lifecycle for scientific and engineering services, instrument systems, and specialized aircraft components, ensuring alignment with DoD innovation priorities and technical requirements. McCowan operates within a highly technical procurement environment that demands deep domain knowledge and close collaboration with scientific teams to translate R&D objectives into actionable contract actions. Her primary contractor relationship is with Concurrent Real-Time, Inc., a vendor frequently engaged for real-time simulation, embedded systems, and high-fidelity modeling solutions critical to flight control and sensor validation. McCowan’s contracting patterns reflect a preference for established technical partners with proven capabilities in aerospace systems integration, signal processing, and mission-critical software development. She consistently engages vendors with specialized engineering expertise rather than broad-service providers, indicating a focus on niche, high-performance solutions. McCowan’s portfolio exhibits no set-aside preferences, with 100% of acquisitions conducted under full and open competition. This reflects the agency’s emphasis on technical excellence and capability over socioeconomic classifications, aligning with the mission-critical nature of the research being funded. While small business participation is not formally prioritized, contractors must still demonstrate technical maturity and systems integration proficiency. Her procurement activity is concentrated in NAICS 334515 (instrumentation for electrical signal testing), 541715 (physical and engineering R&D), and 541330 (engineering services), underscoring expertise in sensor development, computational modeling, and systems engineering. She routinely acquires advanced test equipment, real-time data acquisition systems, and specialized aerospace subsystems, demonstrating deep familiarity with defense science and engineering procurement frameworks.