Aretha Jones

Aretha Jones serves as a key procurement lead within the Naval Air Warfare Center, supporting the agency’s mission to advance naval aviation systems through research, development, testing, and evaluation of mission-critical technologies. She manages complex acquisitions in engineering and scientific research, primarily focusing on advanced avionics, sensor integration, command and control systems, and mission simulation platforms. Her work directly enables the Navy’s modernization priorities by ensuring timely delivery of cutting-edge aerospace technologies through compliant, performance-based contracting practices. Jones operates within a high-stakes technical environment where acquisition decisions directly impact operational readiness and next-generation air warfare capabilities. She maintains strategic relationships with leading defense and aerospace contractors, including Lockheed Martin Corporation, Jacobs Technology Inc., Science Applications International Corporation, Kranze Technology Solutions Inc., and Teya Support Services LLC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term, mission-aligned collaboration on large-scale R&D initiatives requiring deep technical expertise in electronic warfare, systems engineering, and software-defined architectures. Jones consistently engages these prime contractors to deliver integrated solutions under indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) and cost-reimbursement contract vehicles, emphasizing innovation, risk mitigation, and technical performance metrics. Jones exhibits a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions issued without socioeconomic set-asides. This reflects a strategic focus on accessing the broadest pool of technical capability rather than prioritizing small business set-asides, aligning with the agency’s need for specialized, high-precision engineering services that are often only available from large, established defense contractors with proven track records in classified and high-assurance environments. Her procurement portfolio is exclusively focused on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—reflecting her specialization in advanced systems engineering, prototype development, and technology transition. She procures services including flight software validation, radar signal processing, embedded systems integration, and digital twin modeling, ensuring the Navy’s aviation platforms remain technologically superior and operationally resilient.