Chris Richard

Chris Richard serves as a key procurement lead within the FA2518 USSF SPOC/SAIO, supporting the Department of the Air Force’s mission to modernize space domain capabilities through specialized engineering services. He manages the acquisition lifecycle for critical space-based systems, including satellite communications, electromagnetic warfare platforms, and space domain awareness technologies. His work ensures the timely delivery of engineering solutions that enhance operational resilience in contested and congested space environments, aligning with the USSF’s strategic imperatives for assured access and contested operations. Richard specializes in sole-source and competitive engineering contracts under FAR Part 15, with a focus on technical requirements defined by space systems engineers and operational warfighters. He maintains long-standing relationships with leading defense and aerospace engineering contractors, including Keystone Mission Solutions Corp, Riverside Research Institute, and Bowhead Information Technology Service LLC. These partnerships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, often involving rapid prototyping, systems integration, and classified R&D efforts. Richard’s procurement approach emphasizes vendor performance in high-acuity technical domains, favoring contractors with proven expertise in space systems engineering, signal processing, and secure communications architectures. Richard’s acquisition portfolio is fully aligned with small business set-aside preferences, with 100% of solicitations structured under FAR 19.5 for total small business set-asides. This reflects a deliberate strategy to cultivate innovation from agile, niche vendors capable of delivering specialized engineering services in support of urgent space capability gaps. His contracting patterns consistently prioritize small businesses with relevant technical certifications and past performance in space systems development. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541330—Engineering Services—with an emphasis on systems engineering, technical analysis, and mission-specific R&D. He procures services related to satellite ground systems, space surveillance sensor integration, electronic attack countermeasures, and resilient communications architectures, ensuring the USSF maintains technological superiority across the space domain.