Ivette Hernandez

Ivette Hernandez serves as a procurement professional responsible for managing complex acquisitions within the aerospace and aviation manufacturing sector. She plays a critical role in executing the agency’s acquisition strategy by overseeing the solicitation, evaluation, and award of contracts for high-value aircraft components and systems. Her work directly supports national defense and aviation modernization initiatives, focusing on technical procurement processes governed by FAR Part 15 and DFARS compliance. Hernandez typically handles competitive and set-aside procurements for specialized hardware, avionics, and propulsion systems, ensuring alignment with operational readiness requirements and supply chain resilience goals. Her contractor relationships center on Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers specializing in aircraft subsystems, with consistent engagement with small businesses holding relevant aerospace certifications. She fosters collaborative vendor partnerships through pre-solicitation outreach, industry days, and bid protests resolution, promoting transparency and fair competition. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her pattern of engagement reflects a preference for established suppliers with proven technical capability and quality assurance systems, including AS9100-certified firms and those with prior performance on similar requirements. Hernandez demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with over one-third of her awards designated for total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, and nearly ten percent allocated to HUBZone firms. Service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses receive targeted consideration, and while 8(a) competed set-asides are less frequent, they remain part of her strategic diversity goals. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate effort to expand small business participation without compromising technical performance or mission-critical delivery timelines. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing) and 336412 (Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing), reflecting deep expertise in propulsion systems, flight control components, and auxiliary power units. She routinely procures precision-engineered parts requiring rigorous certification and inspection protocols, demonstrating specialized knowledge in aerospace manufacturing standards and supply chain traceability.