Michelle R Crain

Michelle R. Crain serves as a key procurement lead within the Telecommunications Division (HC1013) of the Defense Information Systems Agency, where she manages complex acquisitions to secure and modernize the Department of Defense’s global telecommunications infrastructure. Her responsibilities include soliciting, evaluating, and awarding contracts for mission-critical network services, ensuring compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards and interoperability requirements. She routinely handles performance-based acquisitions for secure virtual private networks, satellite communications, and enterprise-grade IT support services that enable resilient, high-capacity connectivity across military and federal operations. Crain’s work directly supports DISA’s strategic imperative to transition from legacy telecom systems to next-generation, software-defined architectures. Crain maintains longstanding relationships with a core group of prime contractors including AT&T Technical Services Company, Inc., Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, Liberty Communications, Inc., AOC Connect LLC, and Norfolk Fiber, LLC. These partnerships are characterized by sustained performance, technical reliability, and deep expertise in secure network deployment and fiber-optic infrastructure. She favors contractors with proven experience in DoD environments and those capable of delivering end-to-end telecom solutions—from hardware integration to managed services—under stringent security and compliance frameworks. Crain’s procurement portfolio reflects a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of awards issued without set-aside designations such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her current acquisition strategy, she ensures all vendors meet rigorous technical and security qualifications regardless of size or socioeconomic status. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541519 (Other Computer Related Services), encompassing managed network services, cybersecurity-enabled IT support, and systems integration, with a secondary emphasis on NAICS 517410 (Satellite Telecommunications) for secure, beyond-line-of-sight communication solutions. Crain’s expertise centers on procuring resilient, encrypted, and scalable telecom infrastructure critical to global DoD operational readiness.