James R Jefferis

James R. Jefferis serves as a key procurement professional within the FA8823 Sustainment MCPNT SSC/PKL, a critical unit under the Department of the Air Force responsible for sustaining and modernizing aerospace and space-based defense systems. He manages complex acquisitions for guided missile propulsion systems, space vehicle platforms, and associated command, control, and communications infrastructure, ensuring operational readiness of national defense assets. His portfolio centers on long-term sustainment contracts and technology refresh initiatives for mission-critical systems, requiring deep technical oversight and lifecycle management expertise. Jefferis works closely with engineering and logistics teams to align contracting strategies with operational requirements, ensuring timely delivery of high-reliability aerospace components. Jefferis maintains established relationships with a select group of Tier 1 defense contractors specializing in propulsion unit manufacturing and integrated space vehicle systems. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based acquisition methods and firm-fixed-price structures to mitigate risk and ensure accountability. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages with industry leaders possessing AS9100 and ITAR certifications, fostering long-term partnerships grounded in technical excellence and supply chain resilience. Jefferis’s contracting activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of procurements conducted under full and open competition. This reflects a deliberate strategic alignment with the technical complexity and national security sensitivity of the systems he supports, where specialized capabilities and certified manufacturing facilities are limited to a narrow pool of qualified vendors. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through socioeconomic set-asides, he ensures fair access through transparent solicitation practices and clear technical evaluation criteria. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 336415 for guided missile and space vehicle propulsion units and NAICS 336414 for full system manufacturing. He specializes in acquiring high-thrust rocket motors, solid-fuel propulsion systems, and integrated avionics for space launch and missile defense platforms, demonstrating deep expertise in propulsion chemistry, thermal management, and space-rated component qualification.