Forrest Gillespie

Forrest Gillespie serves as a key procurement lead within the W6QM Micc-ft Drum, a specialized unit of the Department of the Army focused on equipping military forces with high-performance sporting, athletic, and industrial equipment critical to soldier readiness and field sustainment. Responsible for managing the full lifecycle of acquisitions under FAR Part 19, Gillespie oversees the procurement of mission-critical components aligned with force projection and training modernization. His portfolio centers on specialized manufacturing contracts for aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment, ensuring that Army units receive durable, mission-ready systems that enhance operational effectiveness and logistical resilience across diverse environments. Gillespie maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of contractors including VPB LLC, LEGACY MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC, AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, LARC INDUSTRIES INC, and MCKENZIE CONSTRUCTION & SITE DEVELOPMENT LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in niche manufacturing, field infrastructure, and technical support services tailored to military operational needs. His contracting approach emphasizes reliability, compliance, and technical alignment, fostering long-term vendor collaboration grounded in performance accountability and regulatory adherence. A defining feature of Gillespie’s procurement strategy is his exclusive use of Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, ensuring that 100% of his acquisitions are reserved for small businesses. This unwavering commitment fosters equitable market access and strengthens the defense industrial base by empowering small, agile firms with the capability to deliver specialized, high-integrity components. His contracting patterns reflect a deliberate focus on socioeconomic inclusion, with consistent awarding to firms certified under HUBZone, SDB, and other small business programs. His primary technical domain is NAICS 336413—Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing—where he procures precision-engineered components used in training simulators, aviation support systems, and field-deployable equipment. Gillespie’s expertise lies in acquiring technically complex, low-volume, high-reliability items essential to maintaining Army aviation and tactical readiness, demonstrating deep familiarity with defense manufacturing standards and supply chain resilience requirements.