Kim Ledbetter

Kim Ledbetter serves as a key procurement professional within the W6QK Acc-rsa office of the Department of the Army, responsible for managing high-priority acquisitions in support of the Army’s aerial and missile defense modernization initiatives. She oversees the acquisition of mission-critical aerospace systems, including avionics, propulsion components, and sensor suites for platforms such as the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache. Her work directly enables the sustainment and technological advancement of Army aviation capabilities, ensuring operational readiness through rigorous contract execution aligned with Defense Acquisition Regulation standards. Ledbetter specializes in sole-source and competitive sealed-bid procurements under FAR Part 15, with a focus on complex, technical requirements involving defense aerospace integration. Her contractor relationships are primarily with Tier 1 aerospace prime contractors and specialized subsystem vendors capable of meeting stringent military specifications for aircraft systems. While no single vendor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages with firms possessing ITAR compliance, AS9100 certification, and proven track records in delivering classified aerospace components. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical evaluation, risk mitigation, and lifecycle support, fostering long-term partnerships with industry leaders capable of rapid prototyping and field sustainment. Ledbetter’s procurement activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 99.1% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions. Small business participation is minimal, occurring in less than 1% of contracts, primarily through total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This pattern aligns with the highly specialized nature of aerospace manufacturing, where only a limited number of firms meet the technical and security requirements for Army aviation systems. Her procurement focus is exclusively centered on NAICS 336411 — Aircraft Manufacturing — encompassing the design, integration, and production of military-grade airframes, flight control systems, and mission-specific avionics. She manages acquisitions for next-generation rotorcraft upgrades, electronic warfare countermeasures, and integrated missile defense interfaces, demonstrating deep technical expertise in military aerospace engineering and systems integration.