Jennifer Inman

Jennifer Inman serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s RDK division (FA9451), responsible for managing complex research and development acquisitions aligned with national security objectives in directed energy, electro-optics, and advanced laser systems. She oversees the full lifecycle of contracts supporting cutting-edge physical and engineering sciences, ensuring technical requirements are met through agile, mission-driven contracting strategies. Her portfolio primarily involves high-risk, high-reward R&D initiatives requiring specialized scientific expertise and rapid prototyping capabilities, often bridging government laboratories with industry innovators to accelerate technology transition. Inman cultivates strategic partnerships with a broad spectrum of defense contractors and research institutions specializing in laser vulnerability analysis, optical instrumentation, and high-energy systems. While no single vendor dominates her award profile, she consistently engages firms with proven capabilities in classified and unclassified R&D environments, emphasizing technical agility, security clearance readiness, and rapid delivery timelines. Her contracting approach prioritizes performance-based outcomes over fixed deliverables, fostering collaborative relationships with contractors capable of iterative development and field validation. Inman’s procurement activity is entirely non-set-aside, reflecting the mission-critical nature of RDK’s technical priorities and the specialized, often non-traditional vendor base required to meet them. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, she actively seeks qualified small firms with niche expertise in electro-optics and laser systems, ensuring innovation is not limited by size but by technical merit. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced laser components, high-power optical systems, diagnostic instrumentation, and modeling and simulation tools. Her domain expertise spans directed energy weapons, laser countermeasures, and sensor survivability testing, making her a pivotal conduit between Air Force R&D objectives and industrial innovation in aerospace defense technologies.