Derrick Looney

Derrick Looney serves as a primary procurement lead within the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, playing a critical role in sustaining the readiness of U.S. military aviation systems. He manages the acquisition of high-reliability components and subsystems essential for aircraft operation, maintenance, and mission-critical performance, with a focus on supply chain resilience and technical obsolescence mitigation. His portfolio includes complex procurements for precision hardware, avionics, and industrial control systems, often requiring rigorous technical validation and long-term logistics planning. Looney’s work directly supports DLA Aviation’s mission to ensure uninterrupted availability of mission-essential parts across the defense aerospace enterprise. Looney maintains collaborative relationships with a broad base of industrial suppliers, including manufacturers of aerospace-grade fasteners, instrumentation, and control systems. He engages with both large-tier defense contractors and specialized niche suppliers capable of meeting stringent military specifications such as AS9100 and MIL-STD standards. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, lifecycle support, and supply chain transparency, fostering partnerships that prioritize quality, traceability, and rapid response to operational demands. His procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 94% of acquisitions conducted without set-asides. However, he actively supports small business participation, consistently awarding contracts to Total Small Business Set-Asides and occasionally to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, reflecting a measured but intentional commitment to socioeconomic goals. HUBZone and 8(a) set-asides are used selectively, aligned with market availability and technical capability. Looney’s primary NAICS focus areas include hardware manufacturing (332510), fastener production (332722), and the manufacture of aeronautical instruments and control systems (334511, 334513). He specializes in procuring precision-engineered components such as calibrated sensors, actuator assemblies, and ruggedized avionics housings, demonstrating deep expertise in aerospace-grade materials, military specification compliance, and critical part sustainment for legacy and modern aircraft platforms.