Melissa A. Garmoe

Melissa A. Garmoe serves as Specialized Branch Chief within the FA9401 377 Msg Pk under the Department of the Air Force, where she leads the acquisition of advanced aerospace and defense systems critical to sustaining air force operational readiness. Her portfolio centers on the procurement of mission-critical instrumentation, secure communications infrastructure, electronic warfare support systems, and laboratory-grade analytical equipment. In this role, she ensures alignment with strategic modernization priorities by managing complex, technically demanding contracts that support sensor development, signal integrity, and real-time data acquisition for high-stakes defense applications. Garmoe maintains consistent partnerships with a select group of specialized contractors, including J STAR ENTERPRISES INC, LARON, LLC, FIVEBYFIVE, LLC, VISION DISTRIBUTORS LLC, and Boh Environmental, L.L.C., all of which provide niche engineering, systems integration, and technical support services. These relationships reflect a preference for agile, technically proficient vendors capable of delivering tailored solutions in classified and controlled environments. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, rigorous technical validation, and long-term sustainment planning, fostering collaborative partnerships grounded in compliance and innovation. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Garmoe directs 100% of her acquisitions under the Total Small Business Set-Aside authority (FAR 19.5), ensuring opportunities for small businesses with the technical capacity to meet stringent defense requirements. Her contracting patterns consistently prioritize firms with demonstrated expertise in specialized engineering and R&D, reinforcing the Air Force’s commitment to fostering a diverse, capable small business industrial base. Her procurement focus is exclusively aligned with NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)—reflecting deep expertise in advanced instrumentation, prototype development, and systems engineering for aerospace applications. She procures high-precision test equipment, embedded signal processing systems, secure data link components, and custom analytical platforms used in laboratory and field environments to validate next-generation air force technologies.