Carmen McClanathan

Carmen McClanathan serves as a key procurement lead within the FA7000 10 Cons Lgc unit of the Department of the Air Force, supporting advanced scientific and technical readiness at the U.S. Air Force Academy and affiliated training facilities. She manages acquisitions of precision instrumentation, laboratory equipment, and specialized technical systems critical to aerospace research, cadet training, and facility modernization. Her portfolio emphasizes high-accuracy measuring devices, data acquisition systems, and analytical instrumentation essential for maintaining cutting-edge operational capabilities in aerospace engineering and physical sciences. McClanathan’s work ensures that mission-critical infrastructure remains technologically current and aligned with DoD standards for scientific integrity and experimental repeatability. She maintains consistent contracting relationships with specialized vendors including SAWASAWA LLC, BERNARD CAP, LLC, TEAL DRONES INC, BRANSCOME OPERATING, LLC, and LAVISION, INC.—all of which provide niche technical solutions in instrumentation, unmanned systems, and high-resolution measurement technologies. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in aerospace-grade equipment, calibration services, and ruggedized data collection platforms. McClanathan’s procurement approach prioritizes technical compliance, performance validation, and supplier reliability over volume, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in rigorous specification adherence. Her contracting patterns show a strong emphasis on open competition, with 63.6% of awards issued without set-aside designation, while 36.4% are structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This balance reflects a deliberate strategy to leverage small business innovation without compromising technical requirements. She actively engages qualified small businesses with specialized technical capabilities, particularly those with expertise in precision manufacturing and scientific instrumentation. Her primary NAICS focus includes 334519 (Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing), 334413 (Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing), and 811219 (Miscellaneous Technical and Scientific Services), underscoring her specialization in procuring advanced sensors, control systems, and laboratory-grade analytical tools. Her domain expertise lies at the intersection of aerospace research, metrology, and educational technology, ensuring that procurement decisions directly enable scientific discovery and cadet competency development.