Daniel Lyons

Daniel Lyons serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where he manages complex research and development acquisitions critical to advancing U.S. air and space dominance. His portfolio centers on next-generation aerospace propulsion systems, hypersonic technologies, and high-performance functional materials, ensuring timely delivery of mission-critical innovations through full and open competition. Lyons oversees the full lifecycle of contract actions—from solicitation and evaluation to award and administration—supporting the agency’s mandate to accelerate breakthroughs in propulsion and adaptive flight control systems through strategic partnerships with industry leaders. He maintains consistent working 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 reflect a focus on deep technical expertise in propulsion engineering, materials science, and systems integration. Lyons collaborates with vendors capable of delivering high-fidelity modeling, advanced prototyping, and rapid technology transition, often under cost-reimbursement and time-and-materials contract types suited for high-risk, high-reward R&D environments. Lyons exclusively utilizes full and open competition, with no set-asides for 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or other socioeconomic programs. His procurement strategy prioritizes technical capability and mission readiness over socioeconomic preferences, aligning with the agency’s urgent need for cutting-edge solutions in a rapidly evolving operational landscape. His primary procurement focus is NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where he procures advanced propulsion components, hypersonic test hardware, composite material systems, and computational simulation tools. His expertise lies in acquiring complex, non-recurring engineering services and specialized materials development critical to sustaining air and space superiority.