Neal Peck

Neal Peck serves as Program Manager for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Propulsion Division (FA9453), where he leads the acquisition and technical integration of advanced space and aerospace technologies. Responsible for translating strategic research objectives into executable procurement strategies, Peck oversees the lifecycle of high-priority R&D contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, resilient space computing architectures, and high-performance instrumentation for space domain awareness and autonomous satellite operations. His role bridges scientific innovation with federal acquisition policy, ensuring that cutting-edge capabilities are rapidly prototyped and transitioned to operational use through agile contracting methods. Peck collaborates with a diverse ecosystem of defense contractors, academic research institutions, and specialized engineering firms engaged in propulsion science, hypersonics, and space-based sensor development. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages firms with proven expertise in aerospace systems integration, computational fluid dynamics, and radiation-hardened electronics. His working relationships are characterized by technical rigor, iterative prototyping cycles, and close collaboration between contracting teams and laboratory scientists to align deliverables with mission-critical performance requirements. Peck’s procurement activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of contracts awarded under full and open competition. This reflects the highly specialized nature of the technologies required and the limited pool of qualified entities capable of meeting the rigorous performance standards for space propulsion and resilient computing systems. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, vendors of all sizes must demonstrate technical superiority and mission readiness to be selected. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—encompassing advanced propulsion experiments, autonomous guidance algorithms, and space-qualified instrumentation. He routinely procures services related to hypersonic test validation, plasma diagnostics, and high-fidelity simulation modeling, underscoring his deep technical expertise in aerospace propulsion and space systems engineering.