Matthew Diefes

Matthew Diefes serves as a primary contracting professional within the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, where he plays a critical role in securing high-reliability components essential to the sustainment of U.S. military aviation systems. His responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle procurement of mission-critical aviation parts, including bearings, sensors, and precision control instruments, ensuring operational readiness across naval, air force, and army aircraft platforms. Diefes manages complex acquisitions governed by FAR and DFARS regulations, with a focus on technical obsolescence mitigation, supply chain resilience, and rapid logistics response to sustain combat-ready fleets. His work directly supports DLA Aviation’s mandate to maintain uninterrupted availability of aerospace subsystems under demanding operational conditions. Diefes collaborates with a diverse base of industrial suppliers specializing in precision manufacturing and aerospace-grade components, though no single contractor dominates his portfolio. He cultivates long-term vendor partnerships with firms capable of meeting stringent military specifications, including AS9100-certified manufacturers and those with established engineering change control processes. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical validation, and supplier qualification, fostering relationships with both established defense primes and niche specialty producers capable of replicating legacy or hard-to-source parts. His procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 79.1% of acquisitions conducted without set-asides. Nevertheless, he actively supports small business participation, consistently awarding contracts under Total Small Business Set-Asides (16.4%) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Asides (3.4%), demonstrating a deliberate commitment to socioeconomic contracting goals within the defense industrial base. Diefes’ technical focus is concentrated in bearing and precision mechanical systems, with 67.5% of his acquisitions falling under NAICS 332991 (Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing). He also procures specialized instrumentation under NAICS 334519 and 334511, including flight control sensors and navigation-grade measuring devices, reflecting deep expertise in aerospace mechanical systems and component-level sustainment. His work ensures the continued airworthiness of legacy and next-generation military aircraft through targeted industrial base engagement.