Hayden Thurston

Hayden Thurston serves as the primary procurement lead for the FA8228 organization within the Department of the Air Force, responsible for managing critical acquisitions that sustain and modernize aerospace systems essential to air and space mission readiness. Focused on high-precision technical services, Thurston oversees the procurement of specialized electroplating, surface treatments, and custom electronic assembly solutions for avionics and test infrastructure. Their role is central to ensuring the reliability and performance of mission-critical components through rigorous technical specification development, source selection, and contract administration aligned with Air Force lifecycle management objectives. Thurston collaborates with a diverse base of specialized vendors, including niche manufacturers and engineering firms capable of delivering complex, low-volume, high-reliability components. While no single contractor dominates the portfolio, working relationships are built on technical capability, quality certifications such as AS9100, and proven experience in defense-grade manufacturing. Vendor partnerships emphasize responsiveness to rapid prototyping needs and adherence to stringent military specifications for materials and processes. Thurston’s procurement strategy reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of acquisitions conducted without set-aside designations. This approach prioritizes technical excellence and industrial capacity over socioeconomic categories, indicating a mission-driven focus on performance and supply chain resilience rather than socioeconomic contracting targets. The agency’s acquisition portfolio is evenly split between NAICS 481111 (Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation) and 332813 (Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring), reflecting a dual emphasis on aerospace logistics support and advanced surface engineering. Core procurements include precision plating for corrosion-resistant circuit boards, anodized structural components, and custom software-integrated test systems. Thurston’s expertise lies in bridging advanced materials science with mission-critical avionics systems, ensuring components meet DO-160, MIL-STD-810, and other aerospace defense standards.