Austin Francis

Austin W. Francis serves as Team Lead within the FA7014 office of the Department of the Air Force, overseeing the acquisition and management of professional services critical to sustaining Air Force operational readiness. In this role, he leads the planning, solicitation, and award of contracts for systems engineering and technical assistance (SETA), enterprise IT modernization, and mission-critical analytics support. His procurement activities are aligned with the agency’s strategic priorities in cybersecurity infrastructure and administrative consulting, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations while delivering high-value technical solutions. Francis manages a diverse portfolio of service-based acquisitions, primarily focused on educational support, human resources consulting, and specialized technical services. Francis maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including SIGMATECH, INC. and Purdue University, reflecting a preference for partnerships with institutions offering deep technical expertise in defense-relevant domains. His contracting patterns favor long-term, performance-based engagements with organizations capable of delivering integrated SETA, data analytics, and workforce development solutions. These relationships are characterized by collaborative, mission-aligned procurement practices that emphasize technical excellence and sustained support. His set-aside preferences are overwhelmingly non-reserved, with 90.9% of awards issued under open competition, indicating a strong emphasis on merit-based selection. However, he consistently allocates 9.1% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a measured but intentional commitment to small business participation without compromising mission requirements. Francis’s procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 611710 (Educational Support Services), 611310 (Colleges and Universities), and 611699 (Miscellaneous Instruction), reflecting a strategic reliance on academic and research institutions for workforce training, technical workforce development, and applied research. He also procures services under 541612 (Human Resources Consulting) and 541990 (Other Professional Services), underscoring expertise in organizational development, talent management, and mission-critical technical support for Air Force personnel and systems.