Dalila Gutierrez

Dalila Gutierrez serves as a Contract Specialist within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Propulsion Division (FA9453), where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical acquisitions that support next-generation space systems and resilient aerospace technologies. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle of procurement—from market research and solicitation development to contract award and administration—ensuring alignment with the division’s strategic priorities in space domain awareness, satellite communications, and autonomous space operations. She specializes in complex, technically demanding acquisitions involving advanced instrumentation, real-time data processing, and high-performance computing architectures, often navigating rapid prototyping and developmental contracting frameworks to accelerate innovation. Gutierrez cultivates collaborative relationships with a diverse ecosystem of vendors, including defense contractors, research institutions, and innovative small businesses specializing in aerospace systems and wireless communications. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her contracting patterns reflect a balanced engagement with both established prime contractors and agile technology providers capable of delivering cutting-edge solutions under tight developmental timelines. She fosters transparent, performance-driven partnerships grounded in FAR compliance and technical rigor. Her procurement strategy reflects a strong commitment to socioeconomic diversity, with equal emphasis on unrestricted and Total Small Business Set-Aside contracts under FAR 19.5. This balanced approach ensures broad market participation while maintaining competitive rigor, consistently enabling small businesses to contribute to high-stakes space technology development without compromising mission readiness. Gutierrez’s primary technical focus lies in NAICS 334220 (radio and wireless communications equipment) and 541519 (other computer-related services), reflecting her specialization in secure satellite links, software-defined radios, signal processing systems, and mission-critical software services. She routinely procures advanced RF components, embedded systems, AI-enabled data analytics platforms, and secure communication architectures essential to modern space operations, demonstrating deep domain expertise in aerospace electronics and next-generation computing infrastructure.