Melissa Droeske

Melissa Droeske serves as a primary contracting professional within the Kessel Run organization of the Department of the Air Force, where she plays a critical role in accelerating the acquisition of mission-critical software and digital systems for air and space operations. She specializes in procuring agile, DevSecOps-enabled solutions that support the rapid development and fielding of cloud-native platforms, including initiatives such as the Aerospace Readiness Enterprise System (ARES). Her work directly advances the agency’s mission to modernize combat command and control through iterative, secure, and scalable digital capabilities, focusing on contracts that demand high technical rigor and compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards. Her primary contractor relationships center on THE BOEING COMPANY, with whom she collaborates on complex aerospace systems integration and advanced software delivery platforms. These partnerships reflect a pattern of engagement with large, established defense prime contractors capable of delivering integrated hardware-software solutions at scale. While Boeing is the dominant partner, her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, requiring contractors to adhere to modern software development lifecycles and interoperability frameworks aligned with Air Force digital modernization goals. Droeske’s contracting portfolio exhibits no set-aside preferences, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic focus on technical capability and mission urgency over socioeconomic categorization, prioritizing rapid delivery and system readiness over small business set-asides. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in her portfolio, all procurements remain compliant with federal acquisition regulations and emphasize merit-based selection. Her procurement activity is concentrated in NAICS 334511 for aeronautical system and instrument manufacturing, 541519 for other computer-related services, and 541330 for engineering services. She routinely acquires advanced avionics, real-time data processing systems, secure cloud infrastructure, and mission-critical software development services, demonstrating deep expertise in aerospace digital modernization and systems engineering domains.