Kathleen Getscher

Kathleen Getscher serves as a Contract Specialist within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), where she plays a critical role in executing the lifecycle acquisition of naval aviation systems. Responsible for managing complex procurement actions from solicitation through contract award and administration, she supports the Navy and Marine Corps’ mission to maintain air superiority through the development, testing, and sustainment of advanced aircraft, avionics, and mission-critical systems. Her portfolio primarily encompasses aerospace engineering, weapons integration, and logistics support contracts, often involving high-technology platforms requiring rigorous compliance with defense acquisition regulations and military specifications. Getscher maintains consistent, long-term contracting relationships with leading defense aerospace primes including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, reflecting her focus on major systems integration and sustainment programs. She collaborates closely with these industry partners on technical requirements, performance-based logistics, and engineering change proposals, ensuring seamless alignment between operational needs and contractual deliverables. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance outcomes, risk mitigation, and technical fidelity in support of carrier-based and expeditionary aviation platforms. Her contracting activity shows no reliance on socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects NAVAIR’s strategic emphasis on leveraging the full industrial base to meet urgent operational requirements, particularly for mission-critical aviation systems where specialized capabilities are concentrated among large, experienced defense contractors. Getscher’s procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS categories centered on aeronautical systems manufacturing, including Search, Detection, Navigation, and Guidance Systems (334511), Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), and Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing (336412). She specializes in procuring advanced avionics, flight control systems, propulsion components, and auxiliary equipment essential to next-generation naval aircraft, demonstrating deep technical fluency in aerospace engineering domains and defense systems integration.