Maria Cornacchia

Maria Cornacchia serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s FA8750 Rik office, where she manages high-priority research and development contracts supporting next-generation aerospace and defense technologies. Her work is central to advancing autonomous systems, resilient communications, AI-driven battle-space awareness, and quantum-enabled capabilities through foundational scientific innovation. She specializes in acquiring custom software development and systems integration services that enable rapid prototyping and fielding of next-generation military technologies, often partnering with contractors to deliver mission-critical solutions under tight technical and schedule constraints. Cornacchia maintains strategic relationships with leading defense and technology firms including Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, Eaton Corporation, Technergetics, LLC, and Caelight, Inc. These partnerships reflect a preference for established contractors with deep expertise in defense-grade software engineering, systems architecture, and advanced computing environments. Her procurement approach emphasizes technical rigor, rapid iteration, and seamless integration of commercial best practices into classified and unclassified R&D programs, fostering long-term collaboration with vendors capable of meeting stringent DoD cybersecurity and data integrity standards. Notably, Cornacchia’s portfolio exhibits a 100% non-set-aside contracting pattern, indicating a focus on mission-critical capabilities where technical superiority and scalability outweigh socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her acquisition strategy, she consistently evaluates all qualified vendors based on technical merit, past performance, and ability to deliver complex software solutions under tight timelines. Her primary procurement focus is squarely on NAICS 541511 (Custom Computer Programming Services), reflecting an intense specialization in bespoke software development for aerospace and defense applications. She procures advanced algorithmic systems, AI/ML frameworks, real-time data processing tools, and secure embedded software platforms tailored to high-assurance environments, demonstrating deep technical fluency in the domains of autonomous systems, free-space optical communications, and quantum information processing.