Andres Salabarria

Andres Salabarria serves as a key procurement professional within the 4th Combat Communications Squadron (FA4809), supporting the Department of the Air Force’s mission to maintain resilient, secure, and expeditionary communications infrastructure for air operations. He manages the acquisition of mission-critical systems including secure radio networks, aircraft subsystems, and specialized cybersecurity-enabled communications equipment. His role centers on ensuring operational readiness through timely procurement of technical solutions that enhance battlefield communications, network resilience, and command-and-control capabilities. Salabarria handles a diverse portfolio of contracts spanning construction, electrical systems, and technical services, aligning acquisitions with Air Force modernization priorities and expeditionary deployment requirements. He maintains established working relationships with a core group of contractors including Solomon Engineering, Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, and Western Metal Supply Company, Inc., each providing specialized expertise in communications hardware, aircraft integration, and infrastructure support. His procurement approach emphasizes reliability and technical compatibility, favoring vendors with proven experience in defense-grade systems and rapid deployment environments. These partnerships reflect a preference for contractors capable of delivering field-tested, ruggedized equipment and services under austere conditions. Salabarria’s contracting patterns show a strong commitment to small business participation, with nearly 43% of awards designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. While no other socioeconomic set-asides dominate, his consistent use of small business set-asides demonstrates a deliberate strategy to foster competition and innovation among qualified small vendors in the defense supply chain. His primary NAICS focus includes electrical contracting, commercial construction, landscaping, and specialized maintenance services—all critical to sustaining forward-deployed communication sites. These categories reflect the squadron’s need for integrated, site-specific infrastructure that supports secure radio installations, power distribution, and environmental resilience for mission-critical nodes. His expertise lies in aligning civil works and technical services with operational communications requirements in austere and contested environments.