Perry Shoemaker

Perry Shoemaker serves as a key procurement lead within the Kessel Run organization of the Department of the Air Force, driving the acquisition of mission-critical software and digital systems to modernize air and space command and control capabilities. Focused on accelerating DevSecOps pipelines and cloud-native platform deployment, Shoemaker manages complex contracts for agile software development, secure infrastructure modernization, and integrated digital engineering solutions. Their work directly supports initiatives like the Aerospace Readiness Enterprise System (ARES), ensuring rapid delivery of secure, scalable capabilities aligned with Air Force digital transformation priorities. Shoemaker’s acquisitions emphasize iterative delivery, continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) environments, and zero-trust architecture standards. Shoemaker maintains a primary contracting relationship with THE BOEING COMPANY, leveraging its enterprise-scale systems integration expertise to deliver large-scale digital platforms. While Boeing remains the dominant partner, the procurement strategy actively incorporates a diverse vendor ecosystem, including specialized software firms and defense technology integrators capable of supporting rapid prototyping and fielding cycles. Relationships are characterized by collaborative, performance-based contracting models that prioritize outcomes over rigid specifications, enabling adaptive development in dynamic operational environments. A strong commitment to small business participation is evident in Shoemaker’s contracting patterns, with 60% of acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to cultivate innovation from emerging defense tech firms, including 8(a), HUBZone, and SDVOSB-certified vendors, ensuring broad access to Kessel Run’s high-velocity development pipeline. The remaining 40% of procurements are open competition, typically reserved for complex, enterprise-level integrations requiring scale and legacy system expertise. Shoemaker’s procurement activity is exclusively focused on NAICS 333249—Other Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing—reflecting a specialized emphasis on digital systems and software-defined hardware platforms critical to aerospace operations. This includes procurement of embedded software, secure cloud containers, AI-enabled decision aids, and interoperable mission systems that bridge legacy avionics with next-generation digital architectures. Their domain expertise centers on secure, real-time data processing for air combat and space domain awareness applications.