Ashley Howard

Ashley E. Howard serves as a Contract Specialist within the W6QK Acc-apg organization under the Department of the Army (W91CRB), where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisitions for next-generation intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of contracts for advanced aeronautical instrumentation, radio frequency platforms, and battlefield data analytics tools, ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations while aligning acquisitions with the Army’s modernization priorities. She interfaces with technical stakeholders to translate operational requirements into enforceable contract terms and oversees solicitations for mission-critical systems that enhance tactical communications and sensor fusion capabilities. While specific contractor names are not available, Ashley routinely engages with a diverse pool of vendors specializing in defense electronics, analytical software, and precision manufacturing. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting and clear statement of work development, fostering partnerships with both established defense primes and agile small businesses capable of rapid prototyping and field deployment. She maintains a collaborative working relationship with engineering and acquisition teams to ensure technical feasibility and schedule integrity across contract phases. Ashley demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with 25% of her awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deliberate focus on expanding opportunities for small businesses in the defense industrial base. While the majority of her acquisitions are unrestricted, she actively prioritizes small business participation where technical requirements permit, supporting broader DoD goals for innovation and resilience in the supply chain. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 322230 (Stationery Product Manufacturing), which reflects her oversight of specialized documentation and packaging systems for tactical use, alongside significant activity in NAICS 541715 (R&D in physical and engineering sciences) and 335999 (Miscellaneous Electrical Equipment). These categories underscore her expertise in acquiring advanced sensing hardware, signal processing components, and field-deployable data analytics platforms critical to modern battlefield operations.