Herbert B. Countee

Herbert B. Countee serves as a Procurement Contracting Officer (PCO) for the FA8823 Sustainment MCPNT SSC/PKL under the Department of the Air Force, where he plays a pivotal role in securing critical aerospace and space-based sustainment capabilities. His responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle management of complex technical acquisitions, primarily focused on research and development for guided missile systems, satellite communications, and global positioning infrastructure. Countee ensures that contract actions align with national defense priorities by delivering mission-critical technologies that maintain operational readiness of space and air dominance platforms. He routinely manages performance-based, cost-reimbursement, and firm-fixed-price contracts with stringent technical and compliance requirements. Countee’s contractor relationships are centered on high-technical-capability firms specializing in defense aerospace R&D, including prime contractors with proven expertise in space systems integration, electromagnetic spectrum management, and advanced navigation technologies. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages with vendors possessing DoD clearance, ISO-certified quality systems, and demonstrated experience in classified space and missile sustainment programs. His contracting approach emphasizes technical merit, past performance, and industrial base resilience over sole-source reliance. Countee’s procurement activity reflects a strong preference for unrestricted competition, with 100% of his acquisitions classified as “No Set-Aside.” This indicates a strategic focus on leveraging the broadest possible industrial base to meet urgent technical demands, rather than prioritizing socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs. His approach prioritizes mission-critical capability over socioeconomic metrics, though small businesses are not excluded from competition. His primary NAICS focus is 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—reflecting deep expertise in engineering services for aerospace systems. He procures advanced R&D services including signal processing, orbital dynamics modeling, command and control architecture development, and electromagnetic compatibility testing, underscoring his specialization in next-generation space and missile sustainment innovation.