Paula Garcia

Paula Garcia serves as a key procurement lead within the FA4417 1 Socons, a critical unit under the Department of the Air Force responsible for acquiring advanced communications, aeronautical navigation systems, and integrated base defense technologies. She manages the end-to-end contracting lifecycle for mission-critical equipment and services that sustain and modernize airpower capabilities, with a focus on secure radio and wireless infrastructure, surveillance systems, and hardened infrastructure components. Her work directly supports operational resilience and readiness across expeditionary and garrisoned air operations, ensuring compliance with DoD acquisition regulations and technical performance standards. Garcia maintains consistent working relationships with a select group of contractors including AANTILIA LLC, MARRERO, COUVILLON & ASSOCIATES, L.L.C., MATTHES PARKER LLC, L1 ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED, and WALCO ENTERPRISES INC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term engagement on complex, technical solicitations requiring specialized engineering expertise and rapid turnaround. She prioritizes vendors with proven experience in defense-grade communications, electromagnetic compatibility, and secure facility integration, fostering collaborative contract administration to meet urgent operational timelines. Her procurement strategy is heavily skewed toward small business participation, with 85.7% of awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, and 14.3% designated for Women-Owned Small Businesses. This reflects a deliberate commitment to expanding the defense industrial base and promoting equitable access to federal opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs in the aerospace and security sectors. Garcia’s primary NAICS focus areas include security systems services, irradiation apparatus manufacturing, military armored vehicle component production, rubber product manufacturing for tactical environments, and surgical appliance supply—reflecting a broad yet mission-aligned scope that spans electronic warfare support, protective gear, and infrastructure resilience. Her expertise lies in bridging niche technical requirements with compliant, scalable acquisition pathways to deliver mission-ready capabilities.