Katy Florez

Katy Florez serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s RDK division (FA9451), where she leads the acquisition of advanced research and development services critical to national security and air dominance. She manages complex procurements in physical sciences, engineering, and life sciences, with a focus on directed energy systems, electro-optics, laser technologies, and advanced instrumentation. Her role is central to translating operational warfighter needs into technically rigorous contracts that accelerate innovation in aerospace capabilities, ensuring timely delivery of cutting-edge solutions through competitive and compliant acquisition pathways. Florez collaborates with a diverse ecosystem of defense contractors, academic research institutions, and specialized technology firms engaged in high-risk, high-reward R&D. She fosters long-term partnerships with vendors possessing deep expertise in laser vulnerability analysis, optical system integration, and precision measurement instrumentation. Her procurement approach emphasizes technical merit, innovation readiness, and performance-based outcomes, often utilizing Other Transaction Authorities and basic ordering agreements to streamline access to niche capabilities and emerging technologies. Florez’s contracting portfolio reflects a strong preference for unrestricted competitions, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted without set-asides. This reflects the highly specialized, classified, and technologically advanced nature of the work she supports, where proprietary expertise and security clearances often necessitate broad eligibility. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, she actively encourages small business involvement through teaming arrangements and subcontracting opportunities within larger prime contracts. Her primary focus lies in NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures services spanning laser system design, materials characterization, sensor development, and test and evaluation for aerospace applications. Florez’s domain expertise centers on electro-optical systems, directed energy weapons research, and next-generation sensing technologies, making her a key enabler of the Air Force’s technological edge in contested environments.