Brad Vest

Brad Vest serves as a secondary procurement specialist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, supporting the acquisition of advanced propulsion systems, space vehicle technologies, and mission-critical research services essential to deep space exploration initiatives. While not the lead contracting officer, he plays a vital role in executing complex technical acquisitions aligned with the Center’s mission to develop next-generation rocket engines and computational infrastructure for Moon-to-Mars architectures. His responsibilities include supporting the full lifecycle of contract actions—from requirements validation and market research to contract administration—primarily for research and development services and technical consulting engagements that underpin NASA’s human exploration roadmap. Vest maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including Bastion Technologies Inc. and Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, both of which provide specialized engineering analysis, systems integration, and technical advisory services for propulsion testing and mission simulation environments. His procurement approach emphasizes long-term, performance-based partnerships with firms possessing proven expertise in high-fidelity modeling, propulsion dynamics, and real-time data analytics for spaceflight systems. These collaborations are typically structured as cost-reimbursement or time-and-materials contracts to accommodate the iterative nature of developmental aerospace work. His contracting patterns reflect a strong commitment to small business participation, with approximately two-thirds of his supported acquisitions set aside for total small businesses under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to leverage innovative capabilities from agile, niche vendors while ensuring broad industry participation in NASA’s technical ecosystem. No set-aside awards are typically reserved for large businesses only when unique technical expertise is unavailable among small entities. Vest’s primary focus lies in NAICS 541715 (R&D in physical and engineering sciences) and 541690 (other scientific and technical consulting services), procuring advanced engineering analyses, computational fluid dynamics modeling, propulsion system diagnostics, and mission assurance consulting. His domain expertise centers on high-energy propulsion, guidance systems, and test facility instrumentation—areas critical to advancing NASA’s next-generation launch and deep space vehicle technologies.