Kay L Bent

Kay L Bent serves as a Contract Specialist within the FA3300 42 Cons Cc under the Department of the Air Force, supporting Air University’s mission to advance military education and operational readiness through strategic procurement. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on technical, educational, and infrastructure modernization, including custom software development, simulation systems, and instructional support services. Her work directly enables the delivery of cutting-edge training environments and mission-critical communication capabilities across Air Force educational installations, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and alignment with Air Force modernization priorities. Kay collaborates with a broad spectrum of vendors, including IT service providers, training consultants, and educational support firms, fostering partnerships grounded in performance-based contracting and clear statement of work definitions. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages with firms possessing specialized expertise in defense education technology and systems integration, emphasizing vendor responsiveness, technical capability, and past performance in high-stakes academic and operational settings. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong emphasis on small business participation, with over 26% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5 and a notable 1.4% allocated to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Though the majority of acquisitions remain open to all competitors, her approach actively promotes socioeconomic inclusion by structuring requirements to be accessible to small businesses while maintaining rigorous performance standards. Kay’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services), reflecting her leadership in acquiring software solutions for immersive training simulations and learning management systems. She also frequently procures professional development training (NAICS 611430) and educational support services (NAICS 611710), demonstrating deep expertise in the intersection of defense education, technology integration, and instructional design. Her work ensures that Air University’s learning infrastructure remains adaptive, secure, and aligned with evolving Air Force training doctrines.