Cynthia Bernardez

Cynthia Bernardez serves as a key procurement lead within the Commanding Officer’s office (N63394) under the Department of the Navy, responsible for managing acquisitions that sustain and modernize naval aviation and electronic warfare systems. Her portfolio centers on mission-critical aerospace components, secure communications infrastructure, and advanced electronic assembly services, ensuring operational readiness across naval aircraft platforms. She executes contracts aligned with the Navy’s strategic priorities in sensor integration, cybersecurity-enabled systems, and next-generation avionics, leveraging full and open competition alongside targeted set-asides to meet technological and readiness objectives. Bernardez maintains strategic relationships with prime contractors including Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC and Lockheed Martin Corporation, partnering with industry leaders capable of delivering high-assurance, defense-grade systems. Her contracting approach emphasizes collaboration with vendors possessing specialized expertise in electronic warfare, embedded systems, and secure data links, often requiring ITAR compliance and rigorous quality assurance protocols. She routinely engages with contractors capable of rapid prototyping, systems integration, and sustainment support for legacy and emerging platforms. A strong advocate for small business participation, Bernardez prioritizes Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, with 75% of her awards designated for small businesses. This reflects a deliberate strategy to cultivate innovation from niche suppliers and foster a resilient defense industrial base. Her contracting patterns consistently favor socioeconomic programs that enhance competition and capability diversity across the supply chain. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 336212 (Truck Trailer Manufacturing), reflecting specialized needs for mobile electronic warfare and avionics test platforms; 334310 (Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing), supporting sensor and display systems; and 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services), for mission-critical software integration and cyber-secure architecture development. Bernardez’s expertise spans both hardware and software domains critical to naval air dominance and electronic combat readiness.