Michele A Tritt

Michele A. Tritt serves as a Contract Negotiator within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she plays a pivotal role in securing advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. She specializes in negotiating complex research and development contracts for next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight components, and high-performance functional materials. Her work directly supports the agency’s mission to accelerate the transition of cutting-edge engineering innovations from laboratory prototypes to operational capabilities, ensuring timely and compliant acquisition of technically sophisticated solutions under FAR and DFARS frameworks. Tritt maintains consistent, long-term partnerships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are built on deep technical collaboration, with contractors providing specialized expertise in propulsion system design, adaptive flight controls, and advanced composite manufacturing. Her negotiation approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical risk mitigation, and iterative contract modifications to accommodate evolving R&D requirements, fostering a dynamic partnership model grounded in mutual accountability and innovation. Tritt’s procurement portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards awarded under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on accessing the broadest possible pool of technical capability rather than socioeconomic set-asides, prioritizing mission-critical performance over socioeconomic classifications. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, she evaluates all offers based on technical merit, past performance, and capacity to deliver mission-essential outcomes. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712 (Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences), accounting for 75% of her portfolio, with the remaining 25% under NAICS 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing). She routinely procures advanced materials, propulsion subsystems, thermal management systems, and flight control hardware, demonstrating deep domain expertise in aerospace propulsion engineering and high-temperature material systems.