Chandler Arick

Chandler Arick serves as a key procurement professional within the Missile Defense Agency, supporting the acquisition of advanced missile defense systems critical to national security. Responsible for managing complex contracting actions aligned with MDA’s strategic mission, Arick oversees the procurement of guided missile interceptors, sensor architectures, and integrated battle management systems. Their work directly enables the development and fielding of layered defense capabilities across boost, midcourse, and terminal phases of flight, ensuring alignment with DoD modernization priorities. Arick routinely handles sole-source and competitive acquisitions under full and open competition, focusing on high-technology, mission-critical defense programs requiring rigorous systems engineering and test validation. Arick maintains consistent, long-term partnerships with leading defense prime contractors, including Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, which serve as primary integrators of missile defense hardware and software systems. Jacobs Technology Inc. is also a frequent collaborator, providing technical support, systems analysis, and test infrastructure services. These relationships reflect a pattern of sustained engagement with industry leaders possessing deep expertise in guided weapon system integration, radar modernization, and command-and-control architectures. Procurement actions are typically structured as cost-reimbursement or fixed-price incentive contracts to manage technical risk and ensure performance accountability. Arick’s contracting activity shows a 100% preference for full and open competition, with no set-asides designated for 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or other socioeconomic categories. This reflects the highly specialized nature of missile defense systems, where only a limited number of contractors possess the requisite security clearances, technical certifications, and production capabilities. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in this portfolio, all acquisitions adhere to strict compliance with FAR and DFARS requirements for fair and transparent competition. The primary NAICS classification for Arick’s portfolio is 336414—Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing—reflecting an exclusive focus on the design, development, and production of strategic defense interceptors, kinetic kill vehicles, and associated guidance systems. Procurements center on classified and export-controlled technologies requiring advanced propulsion, terminal homing, and discrimination capabilities, underscoring deep technical expertise in aerospace defense systems engineering.