Katia Lacoste

Katia Lacoste serves as a key procurement lead within the W6QK Acc-apg organization under the Department of the Army, where she manages acquisitions critical to advancing tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle of contracts for advanced aeronautical instrumentation, radio frequency platforms, and battlefield data analytics systems. She plays a central role in translating operational requirements into technically precise solicitation documents, ensuring alignment with Army modernization priorities in communications and sensing technologies. Her portfolio is dominated by complex engineering and R&D procurements requiring stringent compliance with military specifications and interoperability standards. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Lacoste maintains a broad and dynamic vendor ecosystem, engaging with prime contractors and subcontractors possessing deep expertise in wireless communications equipment, avionics systems, and defense-grade data analytics. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical capability over size, fostering partnerships with firms capable of delivering ruggedized, field-deployable solutions under demanding operational conditions. She routinely evaluates proposals for innovation, scalability, and supply chain resilience, prioritizing vendors with proven experience in DoD environments. Lacoste’s procurement activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on accessing the broadest possible pool of technical expertise rather than socioeconomic set-asides. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-aside mechanisms, she remains open to qualified small businesses that demonstrate technical superiority and mission-critical capabilities. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334220 (radio and wireless communications equipment), 334210 (telephone apparatus), 336212 (truck trailer manufacturing for mobile command platforms), and 541715 (R&D in physical and engineering sciences). These categories reflect her specialization in field-deployable sensing systems, secure tactical comms hardware, mobile infrastructure, and applied research supporting next-generation battlefield analytics.