Kate Compton

Kate Compton serves as a Contract Negotiator within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she leads the negotiation and execution of complex research and development contracts critical to advancing U.S. air and space propulsion systems. Her role is central to translating technical requirements from aerospace engineers into legally sound, performance-based acquisitions that accelerate innovation in hypersonics, adaptive flight control, and high-performance materials. She specializes in securing technical services and engineering solutions through competitive and sole-source mechanisms, ensuring alignment with national defense priorities and technical feasibility. Compton maintains consistent, high-trust relationships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term collaboration on advanced R&D projects requiring specialized expertise in propulsion system design, computational modeling, and composite material development. Her procurement approach emphasizes technical rigor, risk mitigation, and performance accountability, fostering vendor engagement that bridges laboratory innovation with operational readiness. Compton’s contracting portfolio reflects a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside classifications. This underscores a mission-driven preference for selecting the most technically capable offerors regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing capability and speed over programmatic set-asides. While small business participation is not formally mandated, she ensures fair access through transparent solicitation practices and inclusive market research. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712 (Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences), accounting for 75% of her activity, with a secondary emphasis on NAICS 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services). She regularly acquires advanced simulation tools, materials characterization services, and integrated flight control software—domains requiring deep domain expertise in propulsion physics, thermal management, and high-fidelity modeling.