Luisa K. Schum

Luisa “Katie” Schum serves as the primary contracting lead for the FA8119 unit within the Department of the Air Force, responsible for managing the acquisition of mission-critical aerospace components and sustainment services for the B-2 Spirit bomber and other strategic platforms. Her role centers on ensuring operational readiness through the procurement of specialized avionics, engineering support, and legacy system modernization solutions. She handles complex, technical contracts requiring deep domain knowledge in aircraft systems integration, repair, and life-extension programs, often coordinating with aerospace engineers and logistics teams to align procurement with operational requirements. Schum cultivates partnerships with a diverse pool of defense contractors specializing in high-reliability avionics, analytical instrumentation, and aircraft subsystem manufacturing. While no single vendor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages with firms possessing AS9100 certification and ITAR compliance, emphasizing technical capability over volume. Her procurement approach prioritizes long-term sustainment partnerships, favoring vendors with proven track records in supporting classified, low-density platforms and maintaining supply chain resilience for obsolete components. Her contracting activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 87.3% of awards issued without set-asides. However, she maintains a deliberate commitment to small business participation, allocating 12.7% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. Though not focused on 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs specifically, her office actively encourages small business involvement through targeted outreach and simplified acquisition thresholds for niche technical services. Schum’s procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 334516 (analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing) and 336413 (other aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment manufacturing), reflecting her specialization in precision test equipment, avionics repair modules, and non-standard aircraft components. She also procures computer peripheral systems and mission-critical software tools supporting diagnostic and maintenance workflows, demonstrating deep expertise in sustaining legacy aerospace systems through advanced, high-integrity manufacturing and engineering services.