Kari Barnett

Kari Barnett serves as a key procurement lead within the FA3002 338 Ess Cc, a critical unit under the Department of the Air Force responsible for sustaining and modernizing military aviation training systems. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on training infrastructure, technical instruction services, and mission-critical support systems for enlisted personnel, officers, and international partners. Her work directly enables the agency’s mission to maintain air superiority through high-fidelity flight and crew training, overseeing contracts that span technical training platforms, simulation systems, and operational readiness support. Barnett’s acquisitions are strategically aligned with the Air Force’s modernization priorities, emphasizing capability sustainment and workforce development. She maintains a primary working relationship with CLEARWATERS INDUSTRY SOLUTIONS LLC, a trusted vendor delivering specialized training and systems support services. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established partners with proven expertise in aviation training ecosystems, while also engaging a range of small and mid-tier vendors capable of delivering niche technical solutions. Her procurement approach balances reliability with innovation, fostering long-term vendor partnerships that ensure continuity in mission-critical training pipelines. Barnett’s set-aside preferences reflect a balanced commitment to socioeconomic programs, with 8(a) competed contracts accounting for one-third of her awards and total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5 representing nearly one-sixth. While half of her acquisitions remain open to all competitors, her consistent use of 8(a) and small business set-asides demonstrates a deliberate effort to broaden vendor participation and enhance competition among disadvantaged and service-disabled veteran-owned firms. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS codes 314999 (miscellaneous textile products), 621320 (optometry services), 488190 (air transportation support), and 561210 (facilities support services), indicating a unique blend of logistical, medical, and infrastructure-related acquisitions. This reflects her role in procuring specialized training equipment, medical readiness assets, ground support systems, and facility maintenance services essential to sustaining aviation training operations across multiple domains.