Kristine V. Baldwin

Kristine V. Baldwin serves as a key procurement lead within the 4th Combat Communications Squadron (FA4809), supporting the Department of the Air Force’s mission to maintain resilient, secure, and expeditionary communications infrastructure for global air operations. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions centered on advanced radio and broadcast systems, aircraft subsystems, and mission-critical cybersecurity services, ensuring operational readiness through timely delivery of technically complex communications equipment and integrated support solutions. Her work directly enables the squadron’s modernization initiatives and rapid deployment capabilities in contested environments. Baldwin maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of specialized contractors, including Solomon Engineering, Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, and Western Metal Supply Company, Inc., reflecting a preference for vendors with proven expertise in defense-grade communications hardware, engineering services, and ruggedized component manufacturing. Her contracting patterns emphasize long-term vendor partnerships grounded in technical reliability and compliance with military specifications, particularly for systems requiring MIL-STD certification and secure supply chain integrity. Her procurement strategy reflects a strong commitment to small business participation, with approximately 22.2% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, while the majority of acquisitions remain open competition. This balanced approach ensures access to innovative small business capabilities while maintaining the scale and technical rigor required for mission-critical systems. Baldwin’s primary NAICS focus areas include engineering services (541330), custom computer programming (541511), and research and development in physical sciences (541712), underscoring her technical expertise in communications architecture, embedded software development, and system integration. She also frequently procures specialized manufacturing under NAICS 337215 for secure enclosures and field-deployable infrastructure, demonstrating a multidisciplinary approach to sustaining combat communications in austere environments.