Cynthia Brockert

Cynthia Brockert serves as a Contract Negotiator within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she plays a pivotal role in securing advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. She specializes in negotiating complex research and development contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials. Her work directly supports the agency’s mission to accelerate the transition of cutting-edge scientific innovations from laboratory prototypes to operational capabilities, ensuring timely and technically sound acquisition outcomes for mission-critical defense programs. Brockert maintains consistent, high-engagement relationships with leading aerospace and defense contractors, including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, often involving proprietary material development, computational modeling, and flight-test integration. Her negotiation approach emphasizes performance-based contracting, technical risk mitigation, and structured milestone delivery, fostering long-term vendor alignment with AFRL’s R&D objectives. Her procurement portfolio reflects a strong emphasis on open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted under no set-aside categories. This indicates a strategic focus on technical excellence and industrial capacity over socioeconomic preferences, prioritizing the most qualified industry partners regardless of business size or certification status. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in her portfolio, she ensures fair and transparent competition across all market segments. Brockert’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712 and 541715, encompassing physical and engineering research and development services. She routinely acquires advanced materials engineering, propulsion system prototyping, adaptive flight control algorithms, and high-temperature composite manufacturing capabilities. Her domain expertise spans hypersonics, jet engine durability, and functional coatings for extreme environments, making her a key liaison between government scientists and industrial innovators in the aerospace propulsion sector.