Andrew Horvath

Andrew Horvath serves as a Contract Negotiator within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where he plays a pivotal role in securing advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. He specializes in negotiating complex research and development contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials. His work directly supports the agency’s mission to accelerate the transition of cutting-edge scientific innovations into operational capabilities, ensuring that foundational R&D efforts are efficiently translated into mission-ready solutions through structured, performance-based acquisition strategies. Horvath maintains consistent, long-term partnerships with leading aerospace and defense contractors, including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, with vendors providing specialized expertise in propulsion system design, adaptive flight controls, and advanced composite manufacturing. His negotiation approach emphasizes technical risk mitigation, performance metrics, and intellectual property alignment, fostering trust-based partnerships that prioritize innovation and mission success over transactional outcomes. Horvath’s procurement portfolio reflects a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions conducted under no set-aside provisions. This reflects a deliberate strategy to prioritize technical excellence and industrial capacity over socioeconomic preferences, ensuring that the most capable and qualified entities—regardless of business size or certification—are selected based on merit and mission alignment. His primary procurement focus is squarely on NAICS 541712, encompassing research and development in physical, engineering, and life sciences. He routinely manages contracts for experimental propulsion prototypes, hypersonic material systems, computational fluid dynamics modeling, and high-temperature functional coatings, demonstrating deep familiarity with the technical language and regulatory frameworks governing defense R&D acquisitions.