Charles L. Friend

Charles L. Friend serves as a key procurement lead within the W6QK Acc-apg Cont Ct Software Sector under the Department of the Army, driving the acquisition of mission-critical software systems, wireless communications infrastructure, and secure data platforms essential to Army modernization and battlefield readiness. He manages end-to-end contracting cycles for complex IT and telecommunications solutions, ensuring compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards and operational interoperability requirements. His portfolio emphasizes secure command and control systems, network resilience tools, and customized software development to support intelligence processing and distributed operations across expeditionary environments. Friend maintains strategic relationships with a select group of prime contractors, including British Telecommunications Public Limited Company, Liberty Communications, Inc., and Southwestern Industrial Contractors & Riggers, Inc., reflecting a balanced mix of large-capability vendors and specialized systems integrators. His contracting approach prioritizes performance-based outcomes, leveraging firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursement mechanisms to align vendor deliverables with tactical mission needs. He fosters long-term partnerships with contractors who demonstrate proven expertise in military-grade communications hardware, secure cloud environments, and field-deployable IT infrastructure. His procurement strategy reflects an even split between open competition and Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, underscoring a deliberate commitment to broadening the defense industrial base. He consistently prioritizes small business participation without reliance on specialized socioeconomic programs like 8(a) or HUBZone, favoring inclusive competition that empowers qualified small firms in technical service categories. Friend’s primary focus lies in NAICS 334220 for wireless communications equipment, 541513 for computer facilities management, and 541511 for custom programming services. He procures secure radio systems, network operations centers, embedded software applications, and mission-specific IT support services, demonstrating deep technical fluency in DoD communications architectures and software-defined networking environments.