Rachel Fortney

Rachel Fortney serves as a key procurement professional within the Naval Air Warfare Center, supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to advance naval aviation systems through research, development, and evaluation of mission-critical technologies. She manages a diverse portfolio of acquisitions focused on avionics, communication systems, sensor integration, and mission simulation platforms, ensuring alignment with strategic modernization goals. Her work spans the full lifecycle of contract execution—from requirements definition to award and performance oversight—enabling the rapid fielding of next-generation airborne and maritime warfare capabilities. Fortney’s acquisitions are instrumental in sustaining technological superiority across naval air platforms. She maintains established relationships with leading defense and systems integration contractors including Lockheed Martin Corporation, Jacobs Technology Inc., and Science Applications International Corporation, alongside specialized support firms such as Teya Support Services and Kranze Technology Solutions. These partnerships reflect a balanced approach between large prime contractors delivering complex integrated systems and niche vendors providing specialized technical services. Fortney’s contracting patterns emphasize performance-based outcomes, systems engineering support, and rapid prototyping, fostering collaborative environments that accelerate innovation while ensuring compliance with defense acquisition regulations. Fortney exhibits a strong commitment to small business participation, with 37.5% of her acquisitions structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deliberate effort to broaden vendor diversity and stimulate innovation from non-traditional defense suppliers. While the majority of her portfolio remains open to full and open competition, she consistently prioritizes socioeconomic programs to enhance market access for small businesses, particularly those with expertise in electronics, communications, and mission support services. Her primary NAICS focus areas include facilities support services, communications equipment manufacturing, and miscellaneous electrical component production, underscoring her technical expertise in procuring hardware, software, and infrastructure services critical to airborne command and control systems. She routinely sources advanced avionics, embedded systems, and mission planning tools, demonstrating deep familiarity with defense electronics supply chains and integration requirements.