Jacob C. Meade

Jacob C. Meade serves as a Contract Negotiator within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where he plays a pivotal role in securing advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. He specializes in negotiating complex research and development contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials. His work directly supports the agency’s mission to accelerate the transition of cutting-edge engineering solutions from laboratory prototypes to operational capability, ensuring alignment with national defense priorities and technical specifications set by AFRL/PZL. Meade maintains longstanding contractual 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, often involving proprietary materials development, computational fluid dynamics modeling, and adaptive control system integration. His negotiation approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical risk mitigation, and compliance with federal acquisition regulations, fostering trust with vendors who deliver mission-critical R&D services under strict security and intellectual property protocols. Meade’s procurement portfolio reflects a strict focus on unrestricted competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside classifications. This reflects the highly specialized, technologically advanced nature of the work, which typically requires large-scale engineering infrastructure and subject-matter expertise not commonly found among small businesses. Consequently, socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB are not utilized in his acquisition strategy. His primary NAICS classification is 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)—encompassing fundamental and applied research in propulsion physics, thermal management systems, and advanced composite manufacturing. He procures services involving wind tunnel testing, hypersonic material characterization, and flight control algorithm development, ensuring the Air Force maintains technological superiority in next-generation aerospace systems.