Carol Clopton

Carol Clopton serves as a Contract Specialist responsible for managing the full lifecycle of complex acquisitions within the aerospace and defense technology sector. She ensures compliance with federal procurement regulations while facilitating timely and cost-effective delivery of mission-critical systems. Her portfolio primarily encompasses the procurement of advanced avionics, navigation systems, and specialized aircraft components, requiring deep technical understanding and rigorous source selection processes. Clopton plays a pivotal role in aligning acquisition strategies with operational needs, often collaborating with engineering and program management teams to define requirements and evaluate technical proposals. While specific contractor names are not disclosed, Clopton maintains a balanced working relationship with both large prime contractors and small businesses, fostering competitive bidding environments that promote innovation and supply chain resilience. Her procurement approach emphasizes transparent solicitation practices, clear performance metrics, and post-award oversight to ensure contractor accountability and deliverable quality. She routinely engages with vendors through pre-solicitation conferences and industry days to clarify requirements and encourage participation. Clopton demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic goals, with nearly half of her acquisitions structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deliberate strategy to expand opportunities for small businesses. The remaining half are awarded without set-asides, typically when full and open competition yields superior technical or cost outcomes. This balanced approach ensures compliance with statutory small business targets while maintaining mission readiness. Her technical focus centers on NAICS 336413, specializing in the procurement of auxiliary aircraft equipment and subsystems, with secondary emphasis on navigation and guidance systems (334511) and other electronic components (334419). Clopton’s expertise lies in acquiring highly engineered, government-furnished or custom-developed hardware critical to aviation safety, surveillance, and mission systems integration.