Marcus N. Duff

Marcus N. Duff serves as a Contract Negotiator within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where he plays a pivotal role in securing advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. He specializes in negotiating complex research and development contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials. His work directly supports the agency’s mission to accelerate the transition of cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs into operational capabilities, ensuring timely and compliant acquisition of mission-critical R&D services. Duff routinely handles sole-source and competitive acquisitions under FAR Part 35 and other specialized authorities tailored to defense science and engineering programs. Duff maintains consistent, high-trust relationships with leading aerospace and advanced materials contractors, including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, long-term engagement on multi-year R&D efforts, and frequent use of Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) and Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs) to streamline innovation pipelines. His negotiation approach emphasizes technical alignment, risk-sharing mechanisms, and performance-based contracting to ensure outcomes meet the rigorous demands of classified and unclassified propulsion programs. Duff’s procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside classifications. This reflects the agency’s need for specialized technical capabilities that are typically only available from large, established defense contractors with the infrastructure to support classified R&D environments. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in his portfolio, his contracting practices remain fully compliant with all socioeconomic requirements and encourage subcontracting opportunities where technically feasible. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where he procures advanced computational modeling, propulsion system prototyping, hypersonic material testing, and adaptive flight control R&D. His expertise lies in managing contracts for high-risk, high-reward engineering solutions that bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and flight-ready systems.