Kelly Kuper

Kelly Kuper serves as a key procurement professional within the IT Contracting Division - PL83 of the Defense Information Systems Agency, where they oversee the acquisition of mission-critical software solutions and IT services essential to sustaining and modernizing DoD-wide information systems. Their responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of contracts for secure, interoperable computing environments, with a focus on cybersecurity resilience, legacy system modernization, and scalable software platforms that support tactical and strategic military operations. Kuper’s portfolio centers on complex, high-stakes IT procurements that demand rigorous compliance with DoD acquisition regulations and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Kuper maintains collaborative relationships with a broad spectrum of software vendors and systems integrators, primarily engaging firms with deep expertise in defense-grade software development, secure cloud architectures, and mission-critical application modernization. While no single contractor dominates their portfolio, Kuper consistently partners with vendors capable of delivering secure, auditable, and DoD-aligned software products, fostering long-term vendor engagement through clear performance metrics and continuous acquisition feedback loops. Kuper’s contracting activity reflects a strict preference for open competition, with 100% of procurements issued under the No Set-Aside category. This approach underscores a mission-first strategy prioritizing technical capability and operational readiness over socioeconomic set-asides, though small business participation remains possible through unrestricted avenues such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The division’s procurement activity is exclusively focused on NAICS 513210 (Software Publishers), reflecting a narrow but critical specialization in procuring custom and commercial-off-the-shelf software solutions for secure communications, enterprise data management, and cyber-secure infrastructure. Kuper’s expertise lies in evaluating software architecture, interoperability standards, and compliance with DoD Information Assurance policies, ensuring all acquisitions align with the agency’s mandate to deliver resilient, future-ready IT capabilities.