Helena M. Unten

Maile Unten serves as a Contract Specialist within the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), supporting the Department of Defense’s mission to develop and integrate advanced ballistic missile defense systems. In this role, she manages the full lifecycle of complex acquisitions for research, development, and systems integration efforts, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and defense-specific procurement policies. Her portfolio primarily encompasses technical contracts for missile defense sensors, command and control architectures, and space-based tracking capabilities, requiring deep familiarity with DoD acquisition frameworks and technical risk mitigation strategies. She plays a critical role in aligning contract execution with MDA’s strategic priorities in layered defense modernization. While specific contractor names are not publicly available, Maile routinely engages with prime contractors and subcontractors specializing in defense aerospace engineering, systems integration, and advanced software development. Her procurement patterns reflect a preference for established defense industry partners with proven capabilities in high-consequence technical domains, including those with prior experience in missile defense architectures, radar modernization, and real-time data processing systems. She fosters collaborative relationships with vendors capable of delivering rapid prototyping, test-and-evaluation support, and agile development methodologies under stringent security and performance requirements. Maile’s contracting activity shows a 100% focus on non-set-aside procurements, indicating a strategic emphasis on technical capability over socioeconomic preferences. This reflects the mission-critical nature of MDA’s programs, where performance, speed, and system interoperability take precedence over socioeconomic set-asides. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her portfolio, she maintains compliance with all applicable small business subcontracting plans as required under federal regulations. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712 (Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences) and 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services), underscoring her expertise in funding advanced engineering R&D and mission-critical software systems. She procures services related to missile trajectory modeling, sensor fusion algorithms, secure command-and-control software, and space-based surveillance architectures, requiring deep technical literacy in defense systems engineering and cybersecurity standards.