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. Her portfolio centers on research and development contracts for next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials. She manages the full lifecycle of complex, mission-critical procurements—from solicitation and evaluation to award and contract administration—ensuring alignment with DoD innovation priorities and technical requirements. Her work directly supports the rapid transition of laboratory breakthroughs into operational capabilities for the Department of the Air Force. 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 characterized by deep technical collaboration, often involving cost-reimbursement and fixed-price incentive contracts for R&D-intensive efforts. She routinely engages with prime contractors possessing specialized expertise in propulsion system integration, adaptive flight controls, and advanced material synthesis, fostering innovation through long-term, performance-based contractual frameworks. Her procurement strategy reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under no set-aside classifications. While she does not prioritize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her contracting approach emphasizes technical excellence and mission readiness over socioeconomic criteria, ensuring the highest-performing entities compete on merit for complex, classified, or highly specialized work. Williams specializes exclusively in NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—focusing on fundamental and applied research in propulsion physics, combustion dynamics, thermal protection systems, and composite material development. Her acquisitions support cutting-edge engineering efforts that bridge laboratory innovation with flight-ready systems, requiring deep domain knowledge in aerospace engineering and advanced manufacturing processes.