Cynthia Booker-Neilson

Cynthia Booker-Neilson 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, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials, ensuring timely delivery of mission-critical capabilities to support Air Force and Space Force operational needs. Her portfolio emphasizes fundamental and applied R&D initiatives that bridge laboratory innovation with field-deployable systems, requiring deep technical oversight and risk-managed contracting strategies. She maintains long-standing relationships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC, partnering with firms possessing specialized expertise in propulsion system design, materials science, and flight control integration. These relationships are characterized by sustained collaboration on multi-year R&D efforts, often involving cost-reimbursement and time-and-materials contract types, with a focus on technical innovation over volume procurement. Booker-Neilson’s contracting portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, reflecting the specialized, high-technical-barrier nature of the work she procures. While small business participation is not formally mandated through socioeconomic set-asides, she actively encourages small business involvement as subcontractors and technical partners within prime contractor teams, aligning with AFRL’s broader innovation ecosystem goals. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced engineering services, computational modeling, materials characterization, and prototype development for propulsion and hypersonic systems. Her expertise lies in managing acquisitions that require rigorous technical evaluation, intellectual property negotiation, and compliance with federal aerospace research standards.