Kristen Ferro

Kristen Ferro serves as a Contract Specialist within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), where she plays a critical role in executing the lifecycle acquisition of naval aviation systems. She manages complex procurements spanning engineering services, aircraft component manufacturing, and logistics support, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and aligning contracts with NAVAIR’s strategic modernization goals. Her work directly supports the development, testing, and sustainment of carrier-based and expeditionary aircraft, avionics, and mission-critical systems, bridging technical requirements with contractual execution to maintain air superiority for the Navy and Marine Corps. Ferro maintains longstanding relationships with leading defense contractors including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, consistently engaging these prime vendors on high-priority programs involving advanced aircraft systems, unmanned aerial platforms, and integrated avionics. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes and risk-mitigated acquisition strategies, fostering collaborative partnerships with industry to deliver mission-ready capabilities on schedule. She frequently interfaces with technical teams to translate operational needs into clear, enforceable contract requirements. While the majority of her acquisitions—approximately 80%—are conducted as full and open competitions, Ferro demonstrates a measurable commitment to small business participation, with nearly 20% of her portfolio directed toward small business set-asides under FAR 19.5 and SBA’s Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) program. Her socioeconomic contracting patterns reflect a deliberate effort to expand vendor diversity while maintaining technical rigor and mission readiness. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services), where she manages design, analysis, and systems integration contracts, supplemented by specialized acquisitions in aircraft parts manufacturing and sheet metal fabrication. This technical domain expertise enables her to effectively evaluate complex proposals and ensure contractor compliance with stringent naval aviation standards.