Emily Parks-Garcia

Emily Parks-Garcia serves as a key procurement lead within the Space Systems Command’s FA8818 office, supporting the Department of the Air Force’s mission to secure U.S. space superiority through advanced acquisition of space-based systems. She manages complex contracts for guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing, as well as specialized aerospace logistics, ensuring timely delivery of mission-critical capabilities that enhance orbital resilience and launch infrastructure. Her work directly supports national defense priorities by aligning acquisition strategies with modernization goals for space technology, including on-orbit servicing, propulsion systems, and space launch architecture. She operates within a high-stakes, technically demanding environment requiring deep familiarity with DoD acquisition regulations and space systems lifecycle management. Her contractor relationships are centered on prime contractors with proven expertise in guided missile systems, satellite manufacturing, and niche aerospace transportation services. While specific vendor names are not publicly disclosed, her procurement patterns reflect consistent engagement with Tier-1 defense aerospace primes and specialized engineering firms capable of delivering classified and unclassified space hardware under strict security and compliance protocols. She fosters long-term partnerships with vendors who demonstrate technical innovation, systems integration capability, and adherence to defense industrial base standards. Emily maintains a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted without socioeconomic set-asides. This reflects a mission-driven prioritization of technical capability and schedule certainty over socioeconomic preferences, consistent with the high-risk, high-reward nature of space systems procurement. Her approach underscores the urgency of maintaining uninterrupted access to cutting-edge space capabilities, where performance and reliability outweigh traditional small business participation metrics. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 336414 (Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing) and 481212 (Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation), indicating deep specialization in the development of space vehicles and the unique air transport logistics required for sensitive aerospace payloads. She routinely procures advanced propulsion systems, guidance and control hardware, launch integration services, and rapid-response air transport for classified space assets, demonstrating technical fluency in space systems engineering and defense logistics.