Bernard K. Gross

Bernard K. Gross serves as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Air Warfare Center Air Division, where he plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisitions for advanced naval aviation systems. His responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle procurement of mission-critical aircraft subsystems, including avionics, electronic warfare suites, navigation systems, and auxiliary equipment essential to fleet readiness. He manages competitive and non-competitive contracts under FAR and DFARS guidelines, ensuring technical compliance, risk mitigation, and timely delivery of capabilities that support air superiority and platform modernization. His work directly enables the integration of next-generation technologies into legacy and emerging naval aircraft platforms. Gross maintains longstanding relationships with prime contractors including SABRE SYSTEMS, LLC, THE BOEING COMPANY, SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, SYSTEMS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS, INC., and ONTIC ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING, INC. These partnerships are characterized by sustained collaboration on technical integration, systems engineering, and sustainment efforts for high-complexity airborne systems. He frequently engages with defense-industry leaders possessing deep expertise in aerospace systems development, fostering performance-based contracting approaches that emphasize technical innovation, test validation, and lifecycle support. His procurement strategy reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 90% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions. Small business participation is modest but intentional, with 7.5% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5 and 2.5% allocated through 8(a) competed programs, demonstrating a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals without compromising mission-critical performance requirements. Gross’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing), reflecting his specialization in procuring non-airframe components such as mission computers, sensor interfaces, and electronic countermeasure subsystems. He also regularly acquires engineering services under NAICS 541330 and support activities under 488190, underscoring his technical domain expertise in airborne systems integration, avionics modernization, and sustainment of naval aviation platforms.