Dawn Mazza

Dawn Mazza serves as the GARDEM Point of Contact for the FA8750 Air Force Research Laboratory, where she plays a pivotal role in advancing the Department of the Air Force’s mission to develop next-generation aerospace and defense technologies. She manages the acquisition lifecycle for high-priority research and development contracts focused on autonomous systems, resilient communications, AI-driven battle-space awareness, and quantum-enabled technologies. Her work ensures that foundational scientific innovations are rapidly transitioned into operational capabilities through agile, performance-based contracting methods tailored to complex technical environments. Mazza maintains consistent partnerships with leading defense and technology contractors including Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, Eaton Corporation, Technergetics, LLC, and Caelight, Inc. These relationships are characterized by long-term, mission-critical collaborations centered on custom software development, systems integration, and advanced engineering services. She routinely engages with vendors possessing deep expertise in secure computing architectures and classified R&D environments, fostering a collaborative procurement culture that prioritizes technical excellence and timely delivery. Mazza’s contracting portfolio reflects a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions issued under no set-aside preferences. While she does not prioritize socioeconomic programs such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB, her approach ensures maximum technical capability and innovation by maintaining an unrestricted competitive landscape for high-complexity, mission-essential work. Her primary procurement activity is concentrated in NAICS 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services), reflecting a singular emphasis on bespoke software development, algorithm design, and AI/ML system integration. She procures advanced computing solutions, real-time data processing frameworks, and secure software platforms that directly enable autonomous decision-making and next-generation sensor fusion for aerospace defense systems.