Jose A. Blanco

Jose A. Blanco serves as a Procurement Contracting Officer within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), responsible for managing the acquisition lifecycle of critical naval aviation systems. He oversees the solicitation, negotiation, and award of contracts for advanced aircraft platforms, avionics, weapons integration, and mission-critical logistics support. His work directly supports NAVAIR’s mission to maintain air superiority through the development, testing, and sustainment of carrier-based and expeditionary aviation systems. Blanco typically handles complex, high-stakes procurements involving cutting-edge defense technologies, requiring deep technical understanding and rigorous compliance with FAR and DFARS regulations. Blanco maintains consistent contracting relationships with leading defense prime contractors, including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, partnering with them on the acquisition of manned and unmanned aerial systems, radar and sensor suites, and integrated combat electronics. His working model emphasizes long-term vendor collaboration, performance-based contracting, and risk-sharing arrangements to ensure timely delivery of mission-ready capabilities. He also engages with specialized logistics and training providers such as Global Air Logistics and Training, Inc., to support sustainment and workforce readiness. Blanco’s procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of his awards issued without set-asides. This indicates a strategic focus on leveraging the broadest industrial base to meet urgent operational requirements, rather than prioritizing socioeconomic programs such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides. His approach aligns with NAVAIR’s emphasis on technological superiority and rapid fielding over socioeconomic quotas. His primary NAICS focus areas include Electronic Computer Manufacturing (334111), Aeronautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334220/334290), reflecting expertise in avionics, data systems, and secure communications. He also procures Custom Computer Programming Services (541511) to support mission software development and systems integration, demonstrating a technical command over digital architecture and embedded systems within naval aviation ecosystems.