Louis Frederick Patalano

Louis Patalano serves as a key procurement professional within NASA Headquarters, supporting the agency’s mission to advance space exploration and Earth science through strategic acquisitions of advanced aerospace technologies. He manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on space vehicle components, mission-critical software systems, and precision equipment maintenance, ensuring alignment with NASA’s technical and operational requirements. His work directly enables the development and sustainment of spacecraft systems, guidance technologies, and data-intensive mission platforms critical to planetary science, astrophysics, and heliophysics missions. Patalano collaborates with a broad ecosystem of defense and aerospace contractors, including specialized manufacturers of guided missile and space vehicle subsystems, software publishers developing flight control and telemetry systems, and precision repair firms maintaining mission-critical instrumentation. His contracting patterns reflect a preference for established industry partners with deep technical expertise in space systems integration, while maintaining flexibility to engage niche vendors capable of delivering innovative, high-reliability solutions under stringent NASA standards. His procurement strategy prioritizes open competition, with 80% of acquisitions conducted without set-asides, reflecting the technical complexity and specialized nature of NASA’s requirements. However, he consistently allocates 20% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a deliberate commitment to fostering innovation through small business participation. While no specific socioeconomic categories dominate, his approach supports a competitive small business pipeline aligned with NASA’s broader socioeconomic goals. Patalano’s primary NAICS focus centers on 336419 for space vehicle parts and auxiliary equipment, underscoring his expertise in procuring propulsion subsystems, avionics, and structural components for launch and deep-space vehicles. He also regularly acquires custom software solutions under 513210 and precision maintenance services under 811210, indicating strong technical fluency in embedded systems, real-time data processing, and high-reliability hardware sustainment. His domain expertise spans spacecraft systems engineering, mission-critical software development, and aerospace logistics.