Catherine A. Hulser

Catherine A. Hulser serves as a key procurement professional within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s FA8750 organization, supporting the Department of the Air Force’s mission to advance foundational research in aerospace and defense technologies. She manages complex research and development acquisitions focused on autonomous systems, resilient communications, AI-enabled battle-space awareness, and quantum-enabled technologies. Her portfolio centers on high-risk, high-reward scientific innovation, ensuring that cutting-edge capabilities are transitioned from laboratory environments to operational readiness through agile contracting mechanisms. Hulser routinely handles prime contracts for basic and applied R&D, leveraging FAR and DFARS provisions to foster collaboration between government labs and industry partners. She maintains sustained working relationships with leading defense and aerospace contractors including Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, Eaton Corporation, Technergetics, LLC, and Caelight, Inc. These partnerships are characterized by long-term, performance-based engagements centered on technical innovation rather than commodity procurement. Hulser’s contracting approach emphasizes technical merit, rapid prototyping, and iterative development, often utilizing Other Transaction Authority (OTA) and Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) to accelerate the acquisition of novel solutions. Hulser’s procurement patterns reflect a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside conditions. This indicates a strategic prioritization of technical capability and mission-critical performance over socioeconomic preferences, aligning with the high-stakes nature of R&D in national security domains. Her primary procurement activity is concentrated under NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced engineering services, prototype development, sensor systems, free-space optical communications, and AI/ML algorithm validation. Her expertise lies in bridging fundamental scientific discovery with defense application, ensuring that R&D investments directly enable next-generation air and space superiority.