Nicole Schmidt

Nicole Schmidt serves as a key procurement professional within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), supporting the lifecycle acquisition and sustainment of advanced naval aviation systems. She manages complex engineering and technical service contracts critical to the modernization of carrier-based aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, avionics, and mission-critical logistics infrastructure. Her work directly enables NAVAIR’s mission to maintain air superiority through integrated, next-generation aviation capabilities, with a focus on systems engineering, test and evaluation, and sustainment support services. Schmidt’s acquisitions are predominantly technical in nature, requiring deep domain expertise in aerospace systems and defense program management. She maintains consistent, long-term relationships with prime contractors including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, partnering with industry leaders to deliver high-performance aviation platforms and mission systems. These partnerships are characterized by collaborative requirements development, risk-managed contract execution, and performance-based acquisition strategies. Schmidt frequently engages with contractors possessing specialized expertise in flight systems integration, electronic warfare, and aviation logistics, ensuring alignment with Navy and Marine Corps operational needs. Schmidt’s procurement portfolio reflects a strict focus on full and open competition, with no set-asides applied to her awarded contracts. This indicates a strategic emphasis on leveraging the broadest possible industrial base to meet mission-critical technical demands, rather than prioritizing socioeconomic programs. While small business participation is not formally structured through set-asides, she ensures compliance with all federal contracting regulations and may facilitate subcontracting opportunities through prime contractor obligations. Her primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services), encompassing systems engineering, technical analysis, flight test support, and sustainment planning. She procures advanced engineering solutions for aircraft modernization, avionics upgrades, and autonomous system integration, demonstrating deep expertise in aerospace defense technical domains and performance-based service acquisition methodologies.