Michele Lopez

Michele Lopez serves as a Contract Specialist within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s RDK division (FA9451), where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex research and development acquisitions aligned with national security objectives. She manages the full lifecycle of contracts for advanced scientific and engineering projects, including directed energy systems, electro-optical sensors, laser vulnerability analysis, and advanced instrumentation. Her work directly supports the agency’s mission to sustain air dominance through innovation, ensuring timely and compliant procurement of high-priority technologies critical to next-generation aerospace capabilities. She interfaces extensively with technical stakeholders to translate mission requirements into enforceable solicitation language and performance-based contract structures. Michele collaborates with a diverse range of contractors, including defense prime contractors, specialized R&D firms, and systems integrators with expertise in physical sciences and computational engineering. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her contracting patterns reflect a preference for vendors with proven capabilities in laser physics, optical systems, and high-performance computing environments. She fosters long-term partnerships with organizations capable of rapid prototyping, rigorous test validation, and secure development practices, emphasizing technical rigor and mission alignment over cost alone. Michele’s procurement portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted under full and open competition. This reflects the highly specialized, mission-critical nature of RDK’s requirements, where only a limited pool of qualified entities possess the necessary technical credentials, security clearances, and infrastructure to meet performance standards. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, she ensures fair access for all qualified offerors through transparent solicitation practices and clear technical evaluation criteria. Her primary focus lies in NAICS 541712, covering research and development in physical, engineering, and life sciences, which accounts for 75% of her activity. She also procures computer facilities management services under NAICS 541513 to support high-throughput computing and secure data environments. Her domain expertise spans laser system integration, electro-optical testing, and advanced instrumentation development, making her a key liaison between technical R&D teams and acquisition execution.