Debra Burnett

Debra Burnett serves as a DSESTS contracting professional within the W4GG Hq US Army Tacom, responsible for managing complex acquisition programs centered on the lifecycle sustainment and modernization of ground combat and support vehicle systems. Her role encompasses the full spectrum of defense procurement—from requirements validation and source selection to contract execution and performance oversight—ensuring the Army’s armored and tactical wheeled platforms remain operationally ready and technologically advanced. She specializes in high-priority acquisitions involving military vehicle components, survivability upgrades, and integrated avionics systems, aligning with TACOM’s mission to maintain battlefield superiority through agile, mission-focused contracting. Burnett maintains consistent relationships with a core group of specialized defense contractors, including Schutt Industries of Clintonville, Wis., Inc., ONTIC ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING, INC., A&M AEROSTRUCTURES, INC., and BOWHEAD AVIONICS MANUFACTURING, LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with deep expertise in armored vehicle manufacturing, structural integration, and mission-critical avionics systems. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term collaboration with contractors possessing proven capabilities in military-grade engineering, ensuring compliance with stringent DoD technical and quality standards. Her contracting patterns demonstrate a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals, with approximately one-third of awards structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, indicating a deliberate effort to engage qualified small businesses in high-impact defense programs. While the majority of acquisitions remain open to all competitors, her portfolio actively supports small business participation without compromising mission requirements or technical rigor. Burnett’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 336992, encompassing military armored vehicle and tank component manufacturing, alongside NAICS 811310 for industrial machinery repair and maintenance services. She routinely sources specialized components such as ballistic armor plating, powertrain subsystems, and vehicle diagnostics systems, demonstrating deep technical familiarity with the engineering and logistics demands of modernized ground combat platforms.