David Stern

David Stern serves as Program Manager for the Telecommunications Division (HC1013) within the Defense Information Systems Agency, where he leads the planning, acquisition, and lifecycle management of critical communications infrastructure projects. His role is central to securing and modernizing the Department of Defense’s global telecom networks, ensuring resilient, high-capacity connectivity for military and federal operations. Stern oversees the procurement of complex IT and telecommunications services, with a focus on deploying secure virtual private networks, upgrading legacy systems, and enabling cross-domain interoperability. He manages contract execution aligned with DoD cybersecurity standards and mission-critical performance requirements, ensuring that acquisitions support operational readiness and network modernization objectives. Stern maintains consistent partnerships with a core group of established contractors, including AT&T Technical Services Company, Inc., Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Liberty Communications, Inc., AOC Connect LLC, and Norfolk Fiber, LLC. These relationships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in secure telecom engineering, fiber optic deployment, and enterprise network integration. His procurement approach emphasizes technical capability, compliance with DoD information assurance policies, and sustained performance on large-scale, mission-essential deployments, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in reliability and system interoperability. Stern’s acquisition portfolio exhibits no set-aside preferences, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on technical merit and mission-critical capability over socioeconomic categorization, prioritizing performance and readiness above small business participation targets. While small businesses are not excluded, the nature of the required services—complex, infrastructure-heavy, and highly specialized—drives a focus on vendors with the scale and expertise to meet stringent DoD telecom standards. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541519 (Other Computer Related Services), encompassing secure network design, telecom system integration, managed services, and cyber-resilient communications solutions. Stern specializes in acquiring advanced telecommunications infrastructure, including SD-WAN, encrypted transport layers, and mission-specific network architectures that support distributed command and control environments.