Linda I Tome

Linda I. Tome 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. Responsible for soliciting, negotiating, and administering complex contracts, she supports the procurement of advanced aircraft components, avionics, and auxiliary equipment essential to maintaining air superiority for the Navy and Marine Corps. Her work directly enables NAVAIR’s mission to modernize carrier-based and expeditionary fleets through timely, compliant, and technically sound contracting actions. She routinely manages high-stakes, performance-based acquisitions under FAR and DFARS frameworks, ensuring alignment with operational readiness requirements and sustainment objectives. Linda maintains enduring relationships with industry leaders including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, partnering with prime contractors who deliver mission-critical aerospace systems and integrated logistics support. Her contracting approach emphasizes long-term sustainment partnerships, performance metrics, and technical collaboration to ensure system reliability and interoperability across naval aviation platforms. She frequently engages with contractors possessing deep expertise in rotary-wing and unmanned aerial systems, fostering innovation through structured contract vehicles such as IDIQs and cost-reimbursement arrangements. Her contracting portfolio reflects a strong preference for unrestricted competition, with 97% of awards issued without set-aside designations. While small business participation is limited to approximately 3%, she consistently supports Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, aligning with NAVAIR’s strategic balance between operational urgency and socioeconomic goals. She does not routinely utilize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, prioritizing technical capability and mission-critical delivery over socioeconomic preferences. Linda specializes exclusively in NAICS 336413—Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing—procuring specialized components such as flight control systems, mission avionics, maintenance support equipment, and electro-optical subsystems. Her technical domain expertise centers on the integration of next-generation hardware into legacy and emerging naval aircraft platforms, ensuring compliance with military specifications and airworthiness standards.