Elaine Perales

Elaine Perales serves as a Contract Specialist within the Headquarters, Air Force Materiel Command (FA5066), where she plays a pivotal role in executing mission-critical procurements that sustain aerospace and electronic warfare capabilities for the Department of the Air Force. She manages the full lifecycle of acquisitions for advanced instrumentation, communications systems, and laboratory-grade equipment essential to aircraft sensor modernization, test and evaluation infrastructure, and weapons system integrity. Her work directly supports air superiority and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) readiness by ensuring timely delivery of secure, high-performance technical solutions aligned with DoD acquisition regulations and technical specifications. Perales collaborates extensively with a dynamic pool of vendors specializing in computing infrastructure and data services, fostering partnerships with firms capable of delivering secure cloud-based platforms, real-time data processing systems, and mission-critical network hosting environments. While specific contractor names are not disclosed, her procurement pattern reflects a preference for agile, cybersecurity-compliant service providers with proven experience in defense-grade IT environments. She maintains a collaborative, compliance-driven relationship model, emphasizing performance-based outcomes and continuous vendor engagement throughout contract execution. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Perales consistently applies a 100% small business set-aside strategy under FAR 19.5, ensuring that all solicitations are reserved exclusively for small businesses. This reflects a deliberate, agency-aligned commitment to expanding economic opportunity while leveraging the innovation and responsiveness of small firms in defense technology sectors. Her contracting approach prioritizes socioeconomic diversity without compromising technical rigor or mission urgency. Her primary procurement focus is centered on NAICS 518210, encompassing computing infrastructure providers, data processing, and web hosting services. She specializes in acquiring secure, scalable IT systems that support real-time data analytics, test bed operations, and embedded mission computing—domains requiring deep expertise in DoD cybersecurity standards, cloud migration, and mission-critical system integration.