Ricardo Elias

Ricardo Elias serves as a key procurement lead within the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (N61340), supporting the Department of the Navy’s mission to modernize and sustain advanced aviation training systems. He manages acquisitions for mission-critical simulation platforms, immersive training environments, and avionics infrastructure that enhance pilot and aircrew readiness. His portfolio focuses on engineering services, technical training solutions, and specialized equipment essential to naval aviation operational preparedness, ensuring compliance with DoD acquisition regulations and lifecycle sustainment requirements. Elias maintains strong, recurring partnerships with STRACON SERVICES GROUP, LLC and FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL INC, both of which provide high-fidelity flight simulators, curriculum development, and mission-specific training system integration. These relationships reflect a preference for established industry leaders with proven expertise in military aviation training technologies, while also supporting a diverse supplier base through smaller, niche vendors. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical interoperability, and rapid fielding of next-generation training capabilities. His procurement patterns show a strong emphasis on open competition, with 75% of awards issued without set-aside restrictions, yet he consistently allocates 25% of opportunities to Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. This balanced approach ensures access to innovative capabilities from small firms while maintaining competition and technical rigor. There is no evidence of preferential treatment for 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, indicating a focus on capability-driven sourcing over socioeconomic mandates. Elias’s primary NAICS focus is on 541330 (Engineering Services), reflecting heavy investment in systems integration, simulation software development, and avionics modernization. He also procures technical training services under 611519 and specialized lighting and display equipment under 335139, underscoring his domain expertise in immersive training environments, visual systems, and instructor-led simulation infrastructure critical to naval aviation readiness.