Michael Lyall

Michael Lyall serves as a Program Engineer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate, where he plays a pivotal role in advancing next-generation aerospace propulsion, hypersonics, and high-performance materials research. His responsibilities include defining technical requirements, evaluating engineering solutions, and guiding the acquisition process for mission-critical R&D contracts. As a technical liaison between scientists, engineers, and contracting professionals, Lyall ensures that procurement strategies align with the agency’s mission to sustain U.S. air and space dominance through innovation. He primarily manages professional services acquisitions under the NAICS 541990 category, focusing on applied research, systems integration, and advanced materials development for propulsion systems and adaptive flight control technologies. Lyall maintains consistent partnerships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES Inc., General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are characterized by long-term, technically complex engagements centered on prototype development, computational modeling, and materials characterization. His procurement approach emphasizes collaboration with industry experts possessing deep domain knowledge in propulsion systems, hypersonic aerodynamics, and high-temperature composites, ensuring solutions meet stringent military performance standards. Lyall’s contracting activity reflects a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions issued without set-aside designations. This indicates a preference for selecting the most technically capable vendor regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing mission readiness and technical superiority over socioeconomic goals. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in his portfolio, contractors of all sizes are evaluated strictly on technical merit and past performance. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990, encompassing specialized professional services in aerospace engineering, advanced materials development, and systems integration. Lyall’s expertise centers on procuring R&D services for propulsion systems, thermal protection materials, and adaptive control architectures, making him a key technical gatekeeper in the Air Force’s pursuit of next-generation air and space dominance.