Amanda Q. Smith

Amanda Q. Smith serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she leads the acquisition of advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. Her portfolio centers on high-priority research and development contracts for next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight components, and mission-critical materials. She plays a pivotal role in translating technical requirements from AFRL engineers into legally compliant, performance-based solicitations that ensure rapid innovation cycles while maintaining rigorous technical and fiscal oversight. Smith specializes in full and open competitive acquisitions under FAR Part 35 and 36, frequently employing Other Transaction Authority (OTA) and Basic Ordering Agreements to accelerate prototyping and transition of cutting-edge capabilities. She maintains enduring relationships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC, partnering with firms possessing deep expertise in propulsion systems, computational fluid dynamics, high-temperature materials, and adaptive flight control architectures. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical excellence, performance-based outcomes, and long-term collaboration with vendors capable of supporting complex, multi-year R&D efforts under stringent security and compliance protocols. Smith’s procurement strategy is exclusively focused on full and open competition, with no set-asides designated for 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or other socioeconomic programs. This reflects the highly specialized, technology-intensive nature of her acquisitions, where only a limited number of contractors possess the required clearance levels, engineering capabilities, and facilities to meet mission-critical performance standards. Her primary procurement activity falls under NAICS 541712, encompassing research and development in physical and engineering sciences. She consistently procures advanced materials, propulsion test hardware, computational modeling services, and hypersonic system prototypes, demonstrating deep familiarity with aerospace propulsion cycles, thermal management systems, and high-enthalpy fluid dynamics. Her work directly supports the transition of laboratory innovations into operational Air Force platforms.