Carla A. Rice

Carla A. Rice serves as a Contracting Officer at the Headquarters of Air Combat Command’s Acquisition Management Integration Center (FA4890), where she plays a pivotal role in advancing the Department of the Air Force’s mission to sustain and modernize air dominance capabilities. She manages complex acquisition programs for mission-critical training systems, command and control infrastructure, and technical services that directly enhance pilot readiness, surveillance effectiveness, and tactical communications. Her portfolio emphasizes integrated acquisition solutions aligned with operational requirements, ensuring timely delivery of high-priority capabilities to combat-ready forces across the Air Combat Command spectrum. Carla maintains consistent contracting relationships with key industry partners including VETPRIDE-EMI MAINTENANCE SOLUTIONS, LLC, MILTRAIN JV II LLC, and JBW FEDITC JV LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for joint ventures and specialized service providers with proven expertise in aviation training, maintenance support, and defense communications systems. Her procurement approach prioritizes performance-based contracting and performance metrics, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in technical proficiency and mission alignment rather than transactional engagements. Her set-aside preferences demonstrate a strong commitment to small business participation, with 23.1% of her awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. While the majority of her acquisitions are unrestricted, she actively leverages socioeconomic programs to expand the industrial base and ensure diverse vendor access to high-impact Air Force requirements, consistently prioritizing qualified small businesses in competitive environments. Carla’s primary NAICS focus areas include Other Support Activities for Air Transportation (488190), Software Publishing (511210), and Satellite Telecommunications (517410), reflecting her specialization in aviation logistics support, mission-critical software development, and secure satellite-based communications systems. Her technical domain expertise centers on integrating advanced digital infrastructure with operational training environments, ensuring that procurement decisions directly enable next-generation airpower capabilities.