Carolyn Sheaff

Carolyn Sheaff serves as the primary contracting lead for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s FA8750 Rik office, where she oversees the acquisition of advanced research and development services critical to next-generation aerospace and defense systems. Her role centers on managing complex R&D contracts aligned with the Department of the Air Force’s strategic priorities in autonomous systems, resilient communications, AI-enabled battle-space awareness, and quantum-enabled technologies. She handles sole-source and competitive procurements under the Basic Research, University Affiliated Research Center, and Other Transaction Authority frameworks, ensuring scientific innovation is rapidly translated into operational capability. Her procurement decisions are guided by technical merit, mission alignment, and the need for agile, high-risk/high-reward R&D execution. Sheaff maintains long-standing partnerships with leading defense and aerospace contractors including Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, and Eaton Corporation, alongside specialized R&D firms such as Technergetics and Caelight, Inc. These relationships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, iterative prototyping, and rapid contract modifications to accommodate evolving scientific findings. Her procurement approach emphasizes sustained engagement with vendors possessing proven expertise in physical sciences, optical systems, and advanced signal processing, fostering trust through transparent requirements development and streamlined contract administration. Sheaff’s contracting portfolio exhibits no set-aside preferences, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-driven prioritization of technical capability over socioeconomic classifications, consistent with the highly specialized nature of AFRL’s foundational research needs. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, her office actively evaluates qualified small firms based on technical excellence and domain-specific innovation. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced capabilities in free-space optical communications, AI-driven sensor fusion, quantum sensing, and materials science. Her expertise lies in identifying and contracting with firms capable of delivering breakthrough technologies in unclassified and controlled environments to maintain U.S. aerospace dominance.