Charles A Gross

Charles A. Gross serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s FA8771 organization, responsible for managing the acquisition of mission-critical information technology solutions that enable air and space domain operations. He oversees the full lifecycle of contracts for secure digital systems, including cloud modernization, artificial intelligence enablement, and custom software development, ensuring alignment with Department of the Air Force cybersecurity and data modernization priorities. His portfolio centers on complex, performance-based acquisitions that require rigorous technical evaluation and risk mitigation to support command and control, cyber resilience, and real-time data analytics capabilities. Mr. Gross maintains a broad network of industry partners specializing in enterprise IT services, working primarily with firms capable of delivering scalable, secure, and interoperable digital platforms. He engages with both large defense contractors and agile technology providers with proven experience in DoD environments, fostering collaborative relationships built on compliance with NIST standards, FedRAMP authorization, and continuous monitoring requirements. His procurement approach emphasizes vendor accountability, innovation, and rapid delivery cycles to meet dynamic operational needs. Mr. Gross’s contracting activity reflects a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions conducted without set-asides, indicating a preference for full and open procurement under FAR Part 15. While he does not prioritize socioeconomic categories such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB, his process remains transparent and competitive, ensuring value and capability are the primary selection criteria. His primary procurement focus is under NAICS 541519 (Other Computer Related Services), encompassing custom software development, systems integration, DevSecOps support, and IT modernization services. He routinely procures solutions involving cloud-native architectures, AI/ML tooling, cybersecurity analytics, and workforce enablement platforms, demonstrating deep technical expertise in the digital transformation of Air Force mission systems.