Karen L Jackson

Karen L. Jackson serves as a Contract Specialist within the FA7000 10 Cons Lgc unit of the Department of the Air Force, supporting the U.S. Air Force Academy’s mission to sustain advanced aerospace research and cadet training through precision procurement. She manages the full lifecycle of complex acquisitions for scientific instrumentation, laboratory equipment, and specialized technical systems critical to operational readiness. Her work ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurement strategy with the agency’s focus on modernizing analytical capabilities and maintaining high-accuracy measurement infrastructure for STEM education and defense research. Jackson maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of specialized vendors, including SAWASAWA LLC, BERNARD CAP, LLC, TEAL DRONES INC, BRANSCOME OPERATING, LLC, and LAVISION, INC. These partnerships reflect a preference for niche providers with proven expertise in aerospace-grade instrumentation, unmanned systems, and precision measurement technologies. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical validation, performance-based requirements, and long-term vendor reliability over broad competition, fostering trusted collaborations with firms that deliver mission-critical hardware and integrated systems. While the majority of her acquisitions—75%—are conducted without set-asides, Jackson demonstrates meaningful engagement with small business programs, awarding 16.7% of contracts under total small business set-asides and 8.3% through 8(a) competed pathways. This reflects a balanced commitment to fostering innovation from small, capable vendors while ensuring mission needs are met with technical rigor and regulatory compliance. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 561210 (Facilities Support Services) and 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction), supporting infrastructure upgrades and lab modernization. She also regularly procures specialized equipment under NAICS 339112 (Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing) and 541330 (Engineering Services), indicating deep expertise in technical domains requiring precision engineering, calibration, and integration of advanced sensor systems for aerospace and educational applications.