Lorali Herrell

Lorali Herrell serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), overseeing acquisitions that advance next-generation aerospace propulsion, hypersonic systems, and high-performance functional materials critical to U.S. air and space dominance. She manages complex research and development contracts spanning fundamental science to prototyping, with a focus on technical innovation in propulsion control systems, adaptive flight technologies, and advanced material characterization. Her portfolio includes both basic and applied research initiatives, often requiring specialized laboratory instrumentation and mission-critical engineering services to support rapid technology transition. Herrell maintains strong, sustained relationships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships reflect a preference for established industry leaders with proven capabilities in propulsion systems, composite material development, and flight test instrumentation, while also integrating agile small business innovators to fill niche technical gaps. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and long-term collaboration to ensure mission-critical readiness. Her procurement strategy prioritizes small business participation, with over 42% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a robust commitment to fostering innovation through the small business ecosystem. A modest but consistent 1.9% of awards are reserved for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, aligning with broader DoD socioeconomic goals. While no set-aside remains the most frequent category, her balanced approach ensures competitive access for both large primes and capable small firms. Her primary technical focus lies in NAICS 334516 (analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing), reflecting her emphasis on precision measurement systems for propulsion testing and material analysis. She also procures specialized equipment in related categories including other measuring and controlling devices, underscoring her domain expertise in high-fidelity data acquisition, real-time diagnostics, and advanced sensor integration for extreme-environment aerospace applications.