Crystal N. Palacios

Crystal N. Palacios serves as a Contract Specialist within the Telecommunications Division (HC1013) of the Defense Information Systems Agency, where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical procurement actions to secure and modernize the Department of Defense’s global communications infrastructure. She specializes in managing full lifecycle contracts for telecommunications services, network modernization, and secure connectivity solutions, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and defense-wide interoperability standards. Her work directly supports DISA’s mission to deliver resilient, high-capacity, and encrypted network capabilities across military and federal operations, with a strong emphasis on transitioning legacy systems to next-generation secure architectures. Palacios maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including AT&T Technical Services Company, Inc., Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Liberty Communications, Inc., AOC Connect LLC, and Norfolk Fiber, LLC. These partnerships are primarily centered on the provision of secure virtual private networks, fiber-optic connectivity, managed telecom services, and integrated communication platforms. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, service-level agreement compliance, and technical alignment with DoD cybersecurity and network resilience requirements. A defining feature of Palacios’s procurement strategy is her exclusive use of Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a steadfast commitment to maximizing small business participation across all acquisitions. She actively cultivates relationships with certified small businesses, ensuring equitable access to defense telecom opportunities and promoting economic resilience within the national security supply chain. Her procurement portfolio is entirely focused on NAICS 611420 (Computer Training), indicating a specialized emphasis on workforce development, cybersecurity awareness, and technical certification programs essential for sustaining DoD telecom operations. She procures training services that enhance operator proficiency in secure network management, emerging telecom technologies, and defense-specific communication protocols, ensuring personnel readiness across distributed command environments.