Cheri L Nims

Cheri L. Nims serves as a Contract Specialist within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), where she plays a critical role in managing the acquisition lifecycle for advanced naval aviation systems. Her responsibilities encompass the full spectrum of contracting activities—from market research and solicitation development to award administration and contract closeout—for mission-critical aircraft, weapons, avionics, and sustainment services. She operates within a high-stakes defense environment, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurements with NAVAIR’s strategic goals of maintaining air superiority and modernizing carrier-based and expeditionary fleets. Nims routinely engages with leading defense prime contractors including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, partnering with organizations that deliver complex aerospace systems and integrated support solutions. Her procurement patterns reflect deep collaboration with Tier-1 defense manufacturers and specialized logistics providers such as Global Air Logistics and Training, Inc., indicating a focus on end-to-end system integration, technical support, and lifecycle sustainment. These relationships are characterized by long-term, performance-based contract structures designed to ensure operational readiness and technological superiority. Her contracting portfolio is overwhelmingly dominated by open, unrestricted acquisitions, with only 3.6% designated for Women-Owned Small Businesses and no use of 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides. This reflects a mission-driven emphasis on technical capability and industrial base capacity over socioeconomic preferences, though she remains compliant with all small business outreach requirements. Nims specializes in procurements under NAICS 336414 (Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing), 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), and 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing), with additional focus on professional technical services under 541990. Her expertise lies in acquiring advanced flight systems, munitions, unmanned aerial platforms, and mission-critical support infrastructure for naval aviation forces.