Deborah Sorem

Deborah Sorem serves as a secondary procurement professional within the Naval Air Warfare Center, supporting the acquisition of advanced aviation technologies critical to naval air and maritime warfare capabilities. While not the primary contracting officer, she plays a vital role in facilitating the planning, solicitation, and administration of complex contracts for mission-critical systems, including avionics, sensor integration, and command and control software. Her work aligns with the agency’s mission to modernize airborne platforms through cutting-edge electronics and software solutions, ensuring timely delivery of technically sophisticated capabilities to fleet operators. She maintains consistent procurement relationships with leading defense contractors including Lockheed Martin Corporation, Jacobs Technology Inc., SAIC, Teya Support Services LLC, and Kranze Technology Solutions Inc., primarily engaging these firms for systems engineering, software development, and test and evaluation services. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established prime contractors with proven expertise in defense aviation systems, often leveraging indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) and other flexible contract vehicles to support rapid prototyping and sustained modernization efforts. Sorem’s procurement portfolio is overwhelmingly dominated by open competitions, with 98.6% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions, indicating a strong emphasis on technical capability over socioeconomic preferences. Small business participation is minimal, reflecting the highly specialized nature of the technologies procured and the limited pool of qualified small entities in this domain. Her primary NAICS focus areas include software publishing (513210), wireless communications equipment manufacturing (334220), and analytical instrument manufacturing (334516), underscoring her expertise in procuring embedded software, signal processing systems, and high-precision test and measurement equipment. She specializes in acquisitions that integrate software-defined radios, mission planning systems, and avionics diagnostics—core components of next-generation naval aviation platforms.