Cynthia M. Sherman

Cynthia Sherman serves as a Contract Specialist within the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (N61340), where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical acquisitions for advanced aviation and maritime training systems. She manages the full lifecycle of contracts supporting simulation infrastructure, immersive training environments, and avionics modernization initiatives critical to naval aircrew readiness. Her portfolio centers on professional, scientific, and technical services that enable the development, integration, and sustainment of next-generation training platforms, ensuring alignment with Department of the Navy strategic objectives in tactical readiness and operational realism. Sherman maintains consistent contracting relationships with key industry partners including STRACON SERVICES GROUP, LLC and FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL INC, both of which provide specialized simulation engineering, curriculum development, and flight training system integration services. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration with firms possessing deep domain expertise in aviation training technologies, fostering reliable, performance-based outcomes through firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursement contract types. She prioritizes technical capability and proven system integration experience over volume, cultivating a network of trusted contractors capable of delivering complex, mission-essential capabilities under tight operational timelines. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for unrestricted competition, with 87.5% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions. However, she actively supports socioeconomic goals through a consistent 12.5% allocation to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, demonstrating a balanced commitment to both operational urgency and veteran-owned enterprise participation. While small business set-asides are limited, she ensures equitable access for qualified SDVOSBs in eligible categories. Sherman’s primary NAICS focus lies in 624190 (Other Individual and Family Services) and 624120 (Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities), reflecting her acquisition of human performance training, adaptive learning systems, and instructional design services. She also routinely procures professional technical services under 541990, supporting simulation software development, data analytics for training efficacy, and systems engineering for integrated training architectures. Her expertise is grounded in the intersection of human-centered training science and high-fidelity avionics simulation.