Bhawana Sharma

Bhawana Sharma serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), where she plays a pivotal role in advancing foundational research critical to next-generation aerospace and defense systems. Responsible for managing the acquisition lifecycle of high-risk, high-reward basic science initiatives, she facilitates the transition of academic innovation into national security applications. Her portfolio primarily encompasses scientific and technical consulting services, human capital strategies, and specialized support infrastructure—ensuring alignment with AFOSR’s mission to cultivate breakthroughs in autonomous systems, computational science, and human-machine collaboration. While specific contractor names are not publicly identifiable in current records, Sharma’s procurement patterns reflect consistent engagement with a diverse ecosystem of research-focused vendors, including academic spin-offs, independent research institutes, and technical service providers. Her working relationships are characterized by long-term, performance-based partnerships that prioritize scientific rigor, agility, and compliance with federal research funding protocols. She frequently collaborates with entities capable of delivering non-traditional defense solutions, fostering innovation through flexible contracting instruments such as Other Transaction Authorities and basic research agreements. Sharma’s contracting approach is notably non-set-aside, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted under full and open competition. This reflects AFOSR’s strategic emphasis on selecting the most technically capable performers regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing scientific merit over socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not mandated in her portfolio, she remains compliant with all federal requirements and may engage small businesses when they demonstrate superior technical capability. Her primary NAICS focus spans Office Furniture Manufacturing, Human Resources Consulting Services, and Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services—indicating a unique blend of administrative support and research enablement needs. This suggests she procures not only scientific expertise but also the operational infrastructure required to sustain high-performing research teams, including ergonomic work environments and organizational development services. Her domain expertise lies at the intersection of scientific procurement and mission-critical support services.