Merilee Kennedy

Merilee (Don) W. Kennedy serves as a Contract Specialist within the FA2823 AFTC PZIO under the Department of the Air Force, where she manages the acquisition of advanced airborne and ground-based sensing, communication, and test instrumentation systems critical to aerospace mission readiness. Her portfolio centers on the development, integration, and sustainment of high-precision avionics, electronic warfare, radar, and signal intelligence platforms. Kennedy plays a pivotal role in executing full lifecycle procurements—from market research and solicitation drafting to contract award and administration—ensuring alignment with Air Force modernization priorities and technical specifications for electromagnetic compatibility and test infrastructure. She maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of contractors, including TOM HAMMONDS ENTERPRISES, LLC, STREET LEGAL INDUSTRIES, INC, SPEEGLE CONSTRUCTION, INC, DETECT INC, and THE CONTROLS COMPANY, LLC, all of which provide specialized engineering, systems integration, and test equipment services. These partnerships reflect a preference for established vendors with proven technical capabilities in defense-grade instrumentation and mission-critical communications hardware, indicating a focus on reliability, compliance, and rapid fielding support. Kennedy’s contracting activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on technical excellence and performance-based outcomes over socioeconomic classifications, prioritizing capability over vendor status in a domain where mission-critical performance is non-negotiable. Her procurement focus is exclusively within NAICS 334220—Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing—indicating deep specialization in RF systems, signal processing hardware, telemetry platforms, and embedded communication modules. She routinely acquires components and subsystems for electronic warfare suites, radar test arrays, and secure data links, demonstrating strong technical fluency in aerospace test and evaluation environments.