Krista Hayden

Krista K. Hayden serves as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Air Warfare Center Air Division, where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisitions for advanced naval aviation systems. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle of contract management—from requirements definition and solicitation to award and closeout—for mission-critical avionics, electronic warfare subsystems, and sensor integration programs. She supports the agency’s strategic priorities in modernizing airborne platforms and sustaining legacy systems, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurements with operational readiness goals. Her portfolio primarily includes engineering services, research and development, and technical support contracts essential to maintaining air superiority across the fleet. Hayden maintains enduring relationships with key industry partners including SABRE SYSTEMS, LLC, THE BOEING COMPANY, SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, SYSTEMS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS, INC., and ONTIC ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING, INC. These partnerships reflect a consistent reliance on established defense contractors with deep expertise in aerospace systems integration, mission software development, and precision manufacturing. Her procurement approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and risk mitigation, often involving competitive sealed bidding and negotiated acquisitions under FAR Part 15. Her contracting patterns show a strong preference for unrestricted competitions, with 93% of awards issued without socioeconomic set-asides. While small business participation is limited, she consistently allocates approximately 7% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a measured but intentional commitment to small business engagement within a technically demanding acquisition environment. Hayden’s primary NAICS focus areas include Engineering Services (541330) and Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (541712), underscoring her specialization in advanced avionics, signal processing, and systems engineering. She frequently procures analytical instrumentation, mission-critical software, and technical consulting services that support the integration of next-generation airborne capabilities into naval aircraft platforms.