Jennifer A. Jones

Jennifer A. Jones serves as a key procurement leader at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, overseeing the acquisition of advanced propulsion systems, space vehicle technologies, and mission-critical research and development services essential to deep space exploration. Her work directly supports the Center’s mission to develop next-generation rocket engines and computational infrastructure for Moon-to-Mars architectures, managing complex contracts under FAR Part 15 for technical services requiring high-level engineering expertise. She specializes in securing cutting-edge R&D capabilities that enable real-time propulsion testing, guidance system validation, and mission-critical data analytics for human spaceflight programs. Jones maintains strong, sustained relationships with specialized contractors including Bastion Technologies Inc. and Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, both of which provide advanced engineering analysis, systems integration, and flight hardware prototyping services. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term technical collaboration, often involving cost-reimbursement and time-and-materials arrangements to accommodate the iterative nature of aerospace innovation. These partnerships are strategically cultivated to ensure access to niche capabilities in propulsion dynamics, hypersonics, and space systems simulation. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Jones consistently structures solicitations to prioritize full and open competition set-asides for small businesses, with 50% of her portfolio designated for Small Business Set-Asides and an equal portion reserved for Women-Owned Small Businesses. Her contracting patterns reflect a deliberate effort to expand the supplier base for high-tech aerospace services, ensuring diverse, innovative vendors can contribute to NASA’s most critical missions. Her procurement focus is exclusively centered on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she acquires specialized engineering services in propulsion system design, structural analysis, thermal modeling, and autonomous control systems. She does not procure commercial off-the-shelf goods, instead targeting high-complexity, mission-unique R&D deliverables that advance NASA’s deep space exploration objectives.