Lara A. Staley

Lara A. Staley serves as a key procurement professional within the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to advance undersea warfare capabilities through the acquisition of advanced sensor, navigation, and electronic warfare systems. She manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on the development, testing, and sustainment of ruggedized computing platforms, sonar arrays, and underwater signal processing technologies essential for submarine and unmanned undersea vehicle operations. Her work ensures timely delivery of mission-critical systems that maintain U.S. technological superiority in undersea domains, aligning procurement strategy with the Center’s R&D and operational priorities. Staley maintains consistent contracting relationships with specialized vendors including Ordnance Technology Service, Inc., Boh Environmental, L.L.C., and Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, all of which provide niche engineering, environmental, and electronics manufacturing services. She also collaborates with McKenzie Construction & Site Development LLC for facility support and EOS of North America, Inc. for advanced materials and components. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for technical specialists with proven expertise in military-grade hardware and embedded systems, fostering long-term partnerships grounded in compliance, performance, and mission alignment. Her procurement approach prioritizes open competition, with 83.3% of awards issued without set-asides, reflecting the highly specialized nature of undersea systems requiring advanced technical capabilities. However, she actively supports small business participation, allocating 16.7% of contracts as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a balanced commitment to both mission readiness and socioeconomic objectives. Staley’s acquisitions are heavily concentrated in NAICS 334511 for navigation and guidance systems, with significant activity in electronic computer manufacturing (334111), other electronic component manufacturing (334419), and specialized metal and nonmetallic mineral fabrication. Her portfolio underscores deep expertise in procuring ruggedized electronics, underwater sensors, signal processing hardware, and mission-enabling infrastructure critical to undersea dominance.