Nell Hitchye

Nell Hitchye serves as a key procurement professional within the Missile Defense Agency, supporting the acquisition of advanced missile defense systems and enabling the agency’s mission to develop, test, and field integrated, layered defense architectures. She manages complex contracts for research, development, and technical services critical to midcourse and terminal-phase interception capabilities, with a focus on sensor modernization, guidance system integration, and ballistic missile defense instrumentation. Her work directly supports the MDA’s strategic imperative to maintain technological superiority against evolving global threats through rapid prototyping and fielding of next-generation defense technologies. Hitchye maintains consistent contracting relationships with prime contractors including Lockheed Martin Corp and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, firms with deep expertise in missile defense systems engineering, radar architecture, and battle management command and control. She also engages Jacobs Technology Inc. for mission-critical systems integration and test support services. Her procurement patterns reflect long-term, mission-critical partnerships with industry leaders capable of delivering high-assurance, classified, and technologically sophisticated solutions under stringent DoD compliance frameworks. Her contracting portfolio shows no reliance on socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-driven prioritization of technical capability and schedule fidelity over socioeconomic preferences, consistent with the MDA’s focus on rapid deployment of high-priority defense systems where specialized expertise is limited to a narrow pool of qualified vendors. Hitchye’s acquisitions are predominantly governed by NAICS 541715 for research and development in physical and engineering sciences, underscoring her focus on advanced system design, modeling and simulation, and sensor technology innovation. She also procures specialized instrumentation under NAICS 334515, including high-fidelity test equipment for measuring electrical signals and missile flight dynamics. Her domain expertise centers on radar systems, kinetic interceptors, and command-and-control interfaces critical to layered missile defense architectures.