Kristi L. Cole

Kristi L. Cole serves as a Purchasing Agent at the Naval Air Warfare Center, where she plays a critical role in procuring advanced technologies that support the development, testing, and evaluation of next-generation naval aviation systems. Her responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle of acquisition activities for mission-critical electronics, avionics, communication systems, and software solutions aligned with airborne command and control, sensor integration, and mission simulation platforms. Cole ensures compliance with Department of the Navy procurement policies while facilitating timely delivery of high-integrity technical capabilities essential to maintaining U.S. naval air superiority. She maintains longstanding partnerships with leading defense and aerospace contractors including Lockheed Martin Corporation, Jacobs Technology Inc., SAIC, Teya Support Services LLC, and Kranze Technology Solutions Inc. These relationships are characterized by consistent engagement on complex, technically demanding procurements requiring rigorous systems engineering, cybersecurity compliance, and rapid prototyping. Cole works closely with these prime vendors to ensure seamless integration of hardware and software components into naval aviation test environments, often managing multi-year, performance-based contracts that emphasize innovation and operational readiness. Cole’s procurement portfolio reflects a strong emphasis on open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted without set-aside designations such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her current contracting patterns, she adheres strictly to full and open competition standards, ensuring technical merit and mission suitability drive vendor selection. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 511210 (Software Publishers), supporting mission-critical software development and data analytics, followed by 334220 for wireless communications equipment and 334516 for analytical laboratory instrumentation. She routinely acquires specialized avionics, test instrumentation, and computer systems design services that underpin the Navy’s research and evaluation infrastructure, demonstrating deep technical fluency in airborne systems and electronic warfare domains.