Regina Williams

Regina Williams serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she leads the acquisition of advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. She manages complex research and development contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials. Her portfolio encompasses both fundamental scientific research and applied engineering solutions, ensuring seamless transition from laboratory innovation to mission-ready capabilities. As a key procurement leader within AFRL’s PZL division, she plays a pivotal role in sustaining the Air Force’s technological edge through strategic, technically rigorous contracting practices. Williams maintains enduring partnerships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are built on deep technical collaboration, with contractors consistently delivering high-fidelity modeling, materials characterization, propulsion system integration, and adaptive flight control solutions. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical risk mitigation, and long-term vendor alignment with mission-critical R&D objectives, fostering trust and accountability across multi-year program lifecycles. Williams’ procurement portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted under full and open competition. This reflects a deliberate focus on accessing the broadest possible pool of technical expertise required for cutting-edge propulsion and materials research. While small business participation is not formally mandated through socioeconomic set-asides, her contracting actions prioritize technical merit and capability over socioeconomic classification, ensuring mission success through the most qualified performers. Her primary NAICS focus is 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—encompassing advanced aerodynamics, combustion systems, composite material development, and thermal management technologies. She routinely procures services related to computational fluid dynamics, hypersonic wind tunnel testing, additive manufacturing of metallic and ceramic components, and high-temperature material validation, supporting AFRL’s mission to pioneer the next generation of air and space propulsion systems.