Colleen Albertson

Colleen Albertson serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she leads the acquisition of advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. She manages complex research and development contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonics, and high-performance materials, ensuring timely delivery of mission-critical capabilities through full and open competition. Her portfolio encompasses both fundamental scientific research and applied engineering solutions, bridging the gap between laboratory innovation and operational readiness across Air Force and Department of Defense platforms. Albertson maintains longstanding relationships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships reflect a consistent focus on high-technology vendors with proven expertise in propulsion systems, adaptive flight controls, and advanced composites. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and collaboration with contractors possessing deep domain knowledge in aerospace systems integration and materials science. Her procurement activity is entirely conducted under full and open competition, with no set-asides for 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or other socioeconomic categories. This reflects the highly specialized nature of the technologies she acquires, where only a limited number of firms possess the requisite capabilities, facilities, and security clearances to meet mission requirements. While small business participation is not formally structured through set-asides, she actively encourages teaming arrangements that enable smaller firms to contribute specialized technical capabilities under prime contractors. Albertson’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712 (Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences), which accounts for two-thirds of her portfolio, alongside NAICS 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services) for mission-critical software and simulation tools. Her expertise centers on procuring advanced propulsion components, thermal management systems, and high-fidelity modeling and simulation services essential to hypersonic and next-generation air dominance programs.