Gerard Wohlrab

Gerard Wohlrab serves as a primary contracting professional within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s FA8750 organization, where he plays a central role in advancing mission-critical research and development initiatives for next-generation aerospace and defense systems. He manages the acquisition lifecycle for high-priority scientific and engineering R&D contracts, with a focus on enabling autonomous systems, resilient communications, AI-enabled battle-space awareness, and quantum-enabled technologies. His procurement activities are tightly aligned with the agency’s strategic imperatives to sustain U.S. technological superiority through foundational scientific innovation, ensuring that contracts deliver cutting-edge capabilities to the Department of the Air Force. Wohlrab maintains sustained working relationships with leading defense and aerospace contractors, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, Eaton Corporation, Technergetics, LLC, and Caelight, Inc. These partnerships reflect a preference for established industry leaders with deep technical expertise in physical sciences, systems engineering, and advanced electronics. His contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and long-term collaboration with vendors capable of delivering complex, high-risk R&D solutions under tight operational timelines. Wohlrab’s procurement portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-driven focus on selecting the most technically qualified offerors regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing capability over certification-based preferences. While small business participation is not formally targeted, the nature of the work occasionally attracts innovative small firms through competitive bid opportunities in specialized technical domains. His primary procurement focus is centered on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—encompassing free-space optical communications, advanced signal processing, machine learning for sensor fusion, and quantum sensor development. He consistently procures services and prototypes requiring advanced laboratory validation, systems integration, and rapid prototyping in support of classified and unclassified defense science programs.