LT Garrett Morgan, Ph.D., MSC, USN

LT Garrett Morgan, Ph.D., MSC, USN, serves as a scientific and technical acquisition lead within the Office of Naval Research, where he bridges cutting-edge research with operational naval capability through strategic R&D contracting. Responsible for managing the lifecycle of scientific and engineering contracts, he translates foundational discoveries in physical and engineering sciences into mission-critical naval technologies. His portfolio focuses on high-priority domains including autonomous systems, advanced propulsion, maritime sensing, and next-generation platforms, ensuring that funded innovations align with Navy and Marine Corps operational needs. He exercises full contracting authority over basic and applied research initiatives, often working closely with scientific teams to define technical requirements and evaluate proposal merit. LT Morgan maintains sustained partnerships with leading defense and science contractors, including CHEROKEE STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS, SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC., SKYDWELLER US INC., and ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC. These relationships reflect a preference for established entities with proven expertise in advanced systems integration, sensor development, and biomedical engineering for maritime applications. His procurement approach emphasizes technical rigor, innovation scalability, and rapid prototyping, often leveraging Other Transaction Authorities and research consortia to accelerate technology transition. LT Morgan’s contracting activity is exclusively non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-driven prioritization of technical excellence and capability readiness over socioeconomic preferences, aligning with ONR’s mandate to secure the most capable solutions for national security challenges. His procurement focus is uniformly centered on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—supporting projects in computational modeling, materials science, underwater acoustics, and autonomous control architectures. He routinely procures advanced research services, prototype development, and systems integration efforts from institutions with deep domain expertise in naval-relevant science and engineering.