Pco

Joel Blaine Ashworth serves as an Intern at the Naval Air Warfare Center, supporting the agency’s mission to advance naval aviation systems through research, development, and evaluation of mission-critical technologies. In this capacity, he assists in the administration of technical procurement actions related to avionics, sensor systems, and mission planning software, gaining hands-on experience in contract lifecycle management, solicitation drafting, and vendor evaluation. His role contributes to the agency’s broader objective of integrating cutting-edge electronics and software solutions into next-generation airborne platforms, with a focus on ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and technical specification alignment. Ashworth collaborates closely with a core group of prime contractors including Lockheed Martin Corporation, Jacobs Technology Inc., Teya Support Services LLC, Kranze Technology Solutions Inc., and Science Applications International Corporation. These partnerships center on engineering services, testing and evaluation, and specialized electronic component manufacturing, reflecting a preference for established defense technology providers with proven expertise in naval aviation systems. His involvement supports consistent, high-integrity vendor engagement across complex technical procurements requiring rigorous performance validation. His contracting activities predominantly align with non-set-aside acquisitions (76.5%), with modest but consistent use of Total Small Business Set-Asides (17.6%) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Asides (5.9%). While not heavily reliant on socioeconomic programs, his work demonstrates a balanced approach to fostering competition, ensuring small business participation where technically feasible without compromising mission-critical performance requirements. Ashworth’s procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services) and 541380 (Testing Laboratories and Services), with additional emphasis on 334419 (Other Electronic Component Manufacturing) and 334511 (Aeronautical System and Instrument Manufacturing). He supports the acquisition of advanced avionics, sensor integration hardware, simulation software, and test instrumentation critical to airborne command and control modernization, reflecting deep technical alignment with naval aviation systems development.