Dr. Benjamin Leever

Dr. Benjamin Leever serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate, overseeing the acquisition of advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. He manages complex research and development contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials, ensuring seamless integration of innovative solutions from concept to operational capability. His role is central to executing the agency’s mission of accelerating breakthroughs in adaptive flight control, combustion dynamics, and advanced material systems through strategic contracting aligned with national defense priorities. Dr. Leever maintains long-standing partnerships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships reflect a consistent preference for established defense contractors with proven expertise in propulsion system design, computational fluid dynamics, and composite material fabrication. His procurement approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and collaboration with vendors possessing deep domain knowledge in aerospace engineering and high-temperature material systems. Dr. Leever’s contracting portfolio reflects a strong emphasis on open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside classifications. This indicates a strategic focus on technical superiority and mission-critical capability over socioeconomic preferences, prioritizing the most qualified industry partners regardless of business size or certification status. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, his acquisitions remain accessible to all qualified vendors through full and open competition. His primary procurement activity centers on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—encompassing advanced propulsion modeling, hypersonic aerothermodynamics, and functional material development. He routinely procures specialized engineering services, prototype development, and test validation capabilities, demonstrating deep expertise in high-risk, high-reward R&D acquisitions essential to maintaining U.S. technological superiority in aerospace propulsion.