Karen L Jackson

Karen L. Jackson serves as a Contracting Specialist within the FA7000 10 Cons Lgc under the Department of the Air Force, where she plays a pivotal role in securing precision instrumentation, laboratory equipment, and specialized technical systems critical to aerospace research and cadet training at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Her acquisitions support the modernization of scientific facilities and the sustainment of high-fidelity analytical capabilities essential to operational readiness. Jackson routinely manages complex procurements under FAR Part 15, focusing on competitive sealed bidding and negotiated contracts for advanced technical systems, including data acquisition hardware, embedded software, and mission-critical test and measurement devices. She maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of technical vendors, including SAWASAWA LLC, BERNARD CAP, LLC, TEAL DRONES INC, BRANSCOME OPERATING, LLC, and LAVISION, INC., all of which specialize in high-accuracy instrumentation, unmanned aerial systems, and scientific data collection platforms. These partnerships reflect a preference for vendors with proven expertise in aerospace-grade engineering and validated calibration protocols, ensuring compliance with military and NIST traceability standards. Jackson fosters collaborative procurement environments that emphasize technical validation, performance-based requirements, and post-award surveillance. While the majority of her acquisitions (70.8%) are conducted without set-asides, Jackson actively promotes small business participation, with 27.1% of awards designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5 and 2.1% reserved for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. Her socioeconomic contracting patterns reflect a balanced approach—prioritizing competition while intentionally expanding opportunities for qualified small firms with relevant technical capabilities. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 423430 for computer and peripheral equipment distribution, NAICS 334111 for electronic computer manufacturing, and NAICS 511210 for software publishing, underscoring her expertise in acquiring integrated hardware-software systems for scientific and training applications. She routinely procures custom programming services (NAICS 541511) and specialized communications equipment (NAICS 334220), demonstrating deep domain knowledge in aerospace instrumentation and digital data acquisition systems.