Kelly L Conniff

Kelly L. Conniff serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s FA8750 RIK office, where she plays a pivotal role in advancing the Department of the Air Force’s mission to develop next-generation aerospace and defense technologies. She manages complex research and development acquisitions focused on autonomous systems, resilient communications, AI-enabled battle-space awareness, and quantum-enabled technologies. Her portfolio centers on foundational scientific innovation, including free-space optical communications, advanced materials, and sensor systems, requiring deep technical understanding and agile contracting approaches to support high-priority, time-sensitive R&D initiatives. Conniff ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while facilitating rapid prototyping and transition of emerging technologies from lab to field. She maintains longstanding partnerships with leading defense and aerospace contractors, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, Eaton Corporation, Technergetics, LLC, and Caelight, Inc. These relationships reflect a pattern of sustained collaboration with firms possessing proven expertise in classified R&D, systems integration, and advanced engineering services. Conniff frequently engages contractors capable of operating in high-security environments and delivering dual-use technologies with military applications, emphasizing innovation, technical rigor, and mission alignment over cost alone. Conniff’s procurement strategy reflects a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her awards issued without set-aside designations. This indicates a focus on technical capability and mission readiness over socioeconomic categorization, aligning with the critical nature of the R&D programs she supports. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through set-asides, she may still include small businesses as subcontractors within larger teaming arrangements when their technical expertise is mission-critical. Her acquisitions primarily target advanced engineering, applied physics, and systems integration services within the defense R&D domain. She procures cutting-edge solutions in autonomous control architectures, quantum sensing, secure optical communications, and AI-driven data fusion systems, requiring deep domain knowledge in aerospace science and national security technology development.