Richard A. Burns

Richard A. Burns serves as a Contracting Specialist within the FA5270 18 Cons Pk unit of the Department of the Air Force, where he plays a pivotal role in securing mission-critical goods and services to sustain airfield operations and facility integrity across the Indo-Pacific theater. His portfolio centers on acquisitions that ensure continuous force projection, including infrastructure maintenance, airfield damage repair support, and operational logistics. Burns manages a diverse range of contract types, primarily fixed-price and cost-reimbursement instruments, to procure specialized industrial equipment, facility systems, and environmental services essential to military readiness. He operates within strict compliance frameworks, ensuring alignment with FAR and AFM procurement policies while prioritizing timely delivery and operational reliability. Burns maintains consistent working relationships with key contractors including GILBANE JAPAN GK and KYUNAN CO., LTD., both of which provide specialized engineering, maintenance, and facility support services tailored to U.S. military installations in the Pacific region. These partnerships reflect a pattern of long-term, performance-based engagements focused on technical precision and rapid response capabilities. His contracting approach emphasizes vendor reliability, local operational expertise, and adherence to U.S. defense standards, often leveraging existing blanket purchase agreements and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) vehicles to streamline acquisition cycles. Burns’ contracting activity shows no use of socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-driven focus on technical capability and operational urgency over socioeconomic preferences, prioritizing the most qualified vendors regardless of business size or certification status. His approach underscores a commitment to mission effectiveness, ensuring that acquisition decisions are based on performance, compliance, and readiness impact. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 337121 (upholstered household furniture manufacturing), 325120 (industrial gas manufacturing), and 333912 (air and gas compressor manufacturing), indicating a need for specialized facility furnishings, compressed air systems, and industrial gas supplies critical to base operations. He also procures solid waste collection and audio/video equipment, reflecting a broad but operationally grounded approach to sustaining mission-enabling infrastructure.