Anar Wagner

Anar Wagner serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), responsible for managing complex research and development acquisitions critical to advancing U.S. air and space dominance. She oversees the procurement of next-generation aerospace propulsion systems, hypersonic technologies, and high-performance functional materials, ensuring alignment with national defense priorities and scientific innovation timelines. Her portfolio primarily consists of cost-reimbursement and fixed-price incentive contracts awarded under FAR Part 35, supporting both fundamental and applied R&D initiatives that bridge laboratory breakthroughs and operational capability delivery. Wagner maintains longstanding 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 system integration, adaptive flight control algorithms, and advanced composite manufacturing. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and collaborative milestone management, fostering long-term vendor engagement built on trust and mission alignment rather than transactional exchanges. Her procurement strategy reflects a singular focus on open competition, with 100% of her awards issued without set-asides, indicating a preference for selecting the most technically capable offerors regardless of socioeconomic status. This reflects the highly specialized nature of the work, where domain-specific capabilities outweigh traditional small business participation goals. Wagner’s acquisitions are exclusively categorized under NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—underscoring her specialization in advanced engineering R&D. She procures services related to computational fluid dynamics modeling, materials characterization, propulsion system prototyping, and hypersonic vehicle testing, working closely with contractors who possess classified facilities, DoD-recognized test ranges, and deep aerospace systems integration experience.