Jarrett Sainz

Jarrett Sainz serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Propulsion Division (FA9453), driving the acquisition of advanced space and aerospace technologies critical to U.S. space dominance. Responsible for managing research and prototyping contracts, Sainz focuses on high-risk, high-reward capabilities in rocket propulsion, resilient space computing, and autonomous space systems. His work directly supports the division’s mission to accelerate innovation through rapid prototyping and foundational R&D, ensuring the Department of the Air Force maintains technological superiority in space domain awareness and next-generation satellite communications. Sainz typically handles classified and unclassified SBIR/STTR awards, research contracts, and developmental instrument procurement under FAR Part 35 and Part 36. Sainz cultivates partnerships with a broad spectrum of vendors, including university-affiliated research centers, defense startups, and specialized engineering firms with expertise in hypersonics, propulsion diagnostics, and space-qualified electronics. His contracting patterns emphasize agile, performance-based acquisition strategies that prioritize technical innovation over traditional fixed-price models. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, Sainz consistently engages with firms possessing deep domain knowledge in aerospace propulsion and space systems integration, fostering collaborative relationships that enable iterative development and rapid fielding. Sainz maintains a 100% small business set-aside preference across all solicitations, aligning with FAR 19.5 to maximize participation from small disadvantaged businesses, HUBZone firms, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. His procurement strategy is intentionally structured to empower emerging innovators with niche technical capabilities, ensuring that small entities play a central role in advancing cutting-edge propulsion technologies. This approach reflects a deliberate commitment to socioeconomic equity and the infusion of agile, non-traditional defense contractors into the national security innovation base. Sainz’s technical focus centers on NAICS categories related to aerospace research and development, including 541715 (Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences) and 336411 (Rocket and Missile Propulsion). He procures specialized hardware and software systems for in-space propulsion, high-temperature materials, autonomous guidance algorithms, and space-rated instrumentation, demonstrating deep expertise in propulsion dynamics, thermal management, and space environment resilience. His acquisitions support the full lifecycle of experimental space systems—from lab-scale prototypes to flight-ready subsystems.