Cheryl Alexander

Cheryl Alexander serves as a key procurement professional at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, supporting the development of advanced propulsion systems and deep space vehicle technologies. She manages complex acquisition programs aligned with the Center’s mission to enable human exploration beyond low Earth orbit, focusing on research and development contracts for rocket engine design, flight dynamics modeling, and mission-critical data infrastructure. Her work ensures the timely delivery of high-risk, high-performance technical solutions essential to Moon-to-Mars architecture studies and real-time propulsion testing systems. Alexander operates within the agency’s technical acquisition framework, coordinating with engineers and program managers to translate mission needs into compliant, performance-based solicitations. She maintains consistent working relationships with specialized contractors such as Bastion Technologies Inc. and Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, both of which provide advanced engineering services in propulsion system analysis, computational fluid dynamics, and space vehicle integration. These partnerships reflect a preference for firms with proven expertise in aerospace R&D and systems engineering, often engaged through competitive sealed bidding or sole-source justifications under unique technical requirements. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, risk mitigation, and performance outcomes over cost alone. Alexander’s procurement portfolio shows no reliance on socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects the highly specialized nature of the work, where only a limited pool of vendors possesses the requisite technical capabilities in hypersonics, liquid propulsion, or space-grade avionics. While small business participation is not formally prioritized, all acquisitions adhere to federal procurement regulations and ensure fair opportunity for qualified offerors. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced engineering services including structural analysis, thermal modeling, propulsion system validation, and autonomous control system development. Her domain expertise lies in high-fidelity simulation, rocket combustion dynamics, and flight hardware integration for next-generation space launch systems.