Jason Pham

Jason Pham serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s RDK division (FA9451), supporting the development and acquisition of advanced technologies critical to national air dominance. He manages complex research and development contracts focused on directed energy systems, electro-optical instrumentation, and laser vulnerability research, ensuring alignment with the lab’s mission to deliver next-generation aerospace capabilities. His acquisitions typically involve high-technical-risk, early-stage R&D projects requiring specialized scientific and engineering expertise, often procured through competitive sealed bidding or basic ordering agreements with research institutions and defense contractors. Pham’s contractor relationships center on firms with proven capabilities in physical and engineering sciences, including defense primes, university-affiliated research centers, and niche technology developers specializing in laser systems and high-energy physics instrumentation. He frequently engages with vendors capable of rapid prototyping, test-bed integration, and classified laboratory-scale demonstrations. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, his pattern reflects a preference for agile, technically proficient partners capable of adapting to evolving mission requirements under tight developmental timelines. His contracting approach prioritizes open competition, with 83.3% of awards issued as non-set-aside actions, reflecting the highly specialized and mission-critical nature of the work. However, he consistently allocates 16.7% of opportunities to 8(a) certified small businesses, demonstrating a measured commitment to socioeconomic goals without compromising technical rigor. This balance ensures access to innovative small firms while maintaining the high-performance standards required for defense R&D. Pham’s procurement activity is overwhelmingly concentrated in NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—reflecting deep expertise in procuring advanced scientific services, including optical system design, plasma diagnostics, and laser beam control technologies. He also occasionally engages management consulting services under NAICS 541611 to support program execution and technical oversight, reinforcing his role as a strategic enabler of cutting-edge aerospace innovation.