Jeremy Otis

Jeremy Otis serves as a Contract Negotiator for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where he plays a pivotal role in securing advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. He specializes in negotiating complex research and development contracts for next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials. His work directly supports the agency’s mission to accelerate innovation in adaptive flight control, thermal management systems, and mission-critical components through strategic partnerships with industry leaders. Otis handles primarily sole-source and competitive R&D acquisitions under FAR Part 35 and other specialized authorities, ensuring technical rigor, cost-effectiveness, and timely delivery of cutting-edge capabilities. Otis maintains sustained working relationships with key defense and aerospace contractors including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, often involving long-term cooperative agreements and cost-reimbursable contracts for prototype development and systems integration. His negotiation approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical risk mitigation, and alignment with AFRL’s rapid prototyping objectives, fostering trust and continuity with vendors possessing specialized expertise in propulsion, materials science, and hypersonics. Otis’s contracting portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside categories. He does not routinely utilize socioeconomic programs such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, instead prioritizing technical capability and mission readiness over socioeconomic criteria. This approach underscores the agency’s focus on acquiring mission-critical technologies from entities with proven expertise in high-risk, high-reward aerospace domains. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)—reflecting his exclusive engagement in advanced engineering R&D. He procures specialized services including computational fluid dynamics modeling, composite material characterization, turbine blade prototyping, and hypersonic wind tunnel testing, consistently partnering with firms possessing deep domain expertise in propulsion physics and aerospace systems integration.