James S. Casper, Pre-EPOC/EPOC Lead Contracting Officer

James S. Casper serves as the Pre-EPOC/EPOC Lead Contracting Officer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, where he oversees the acquisition of mission-critical technologies supporting deep space exploration and advanced propulsion development. In this role, he manages the full lifecycle of complex procurements for research, engineering, and systems integration services essential to NASA’s Moon to Mars architecture. His portfolio includes high-stakes contracts for rocket engine testing, space vehicle systems, and computational infrastructure for real-time data analysis, ensuring alignment with federal acquisition regulations and technical mission requirements. Casper’s expertise lies in navigating the intersection of aerospace engineering and federal procurement to deliver innovative, mission-ready capabilities under stringent performance and safety standards. Casper maintains strategic relationships with key contractors including Bastion Technologies Inc. and Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, both of which provide specialized engineering, systems integration, and computational services critical to propulsion and flight systems development. His contracting approach emphasizes long-term partnership, technical collaboration, and performance-based outcomes, often engaging vendors early in the requirements definition phase to ensure solutions are both technically feasible and acquisition-ready. These relationships reflect a preference for contractors with proven experience in aerospace R&D and systems engineering, fostering innovation through sustained engagement. Casper’s contracting patterns demonstrate a balanced commitment to socioeconomic goals, with approximately one-third of awards set aside for total small businesses under FAR 19.5 and nearly one-sixth designated for HUBZone firms. While half of his acquisitions remain open to all competitors, his consistent use of small business set-asides underscores a deliberate strategy to broaden participation among qualified niche providers in the aerospace and engineering sectors. His primary procurement focus centers on NAICS 541715 (R&D in physical and engineering sciences), with significant activity in engineering services (541330), computer facilities management (541513), and guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing (336414). He regularly acquires advanced propulsion test instrumentation, simulation software, mission-critical computing infrastructure, and systems engineering support, reflecting deep technical expertise in spaceflight systems and high-reliability engineering environments.