Cheri A. Swailes

Cheri A. Swailes serves as a Contract Specialist within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), where she plays a critical role in executing the lifecycle acquisition of naval aviation systems. Responsible for planning, soliciting, awarding, and administering complex contracts, she supports NAVAIR’s mission to modernize and sustain carrier-based and expeditionary aircraft, weapons, and avionics. Her portfolio primarily encompasses aircraft manufacturing and engineering services, ensuring timely delivery of mission-critical capabilities to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. She works closely with program managers and technical stakeholders to align procurement strategies with operational requirements and defense acquisition regulations. Cheri maintains longstanding relationships with industry leaders including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, partnering with prime contractors who deliver advanced aerospace systems and integrated logistics support. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes and risk mitigation, often involving technical evaluations, cost analysis, and contract modification oversight. She collaborates extensively with defense aerospace primes to ensure compliance with military specifications and sustainment obligations across the aircraft lifecycle. Her procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for unrestricted competition, with 92.3% of her awards issued without set-aside designations, consistent with NAVAIR’s focus on large-scale, mission-essential acquisitions. While small business participation is limited at 7.7%, she actively supports Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, aligning with agency-wide goals to foster innovation and capacity within the defense industrial base. Her primary NAICS focus is 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), reflecting her deep expertise in procuring manned and unmanned aerial platforms, propulsion systems, and flight control hardware. She also routinely manages contracts under 541330 (Engineering Services), overseeing technical design, systems integration, and sustainment engineering for naval aviation systems. Her domain knowledge spans avionics modernization, weapons integration, and logistics support infrastructure.