Gina N. Shrider

Gina Shrider serves as a Contract Negotiator for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she plays a pivotal role in securing advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. She manages complex acquisitions in propulsion systems, hypersonics, and high-performance materials, ensuring timely and compliant contract execution that aligns with the agency’s mission to accelerate next-generation flight technologies. Her work spans the full lifecycle of technical contracts—from solicitation and evaluation to negotiation and award—focusing on research and development contracts that bridge foundational science with operational capability. She routinely interfaces with engineering teams and program managers to align procurement strategy with technical requirements. Shrider maintains consistent working relationships with industry leaders such as UES Inc., General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, particularly in the development of adaptive flight controls, combustion systems, and advanced composite materials. Her negotiation approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical risk mitigation, and long-term sustainment, fostering trust-based vendor relationships that support innovation while ensuring accountability. Her contracting portfolio reflects a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside classifications. This indicates a strategic focus on technical capability over socioeconomic classifications, prioritizing mission-critical performance over socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally mandated, her awards frequently involve small firms embedded within prime contractor teams. Shrider’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334210 (Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing) and 511210 (Software Publishers), reflecting her work on embedded avionics, flight control software, and data systems. She also actively procures R&D services under 541712 and custom programming under 541511, demonstrating expertise in digital engineering, simulation environments, and mission-critical software integration for propulsion systems.