Richard A Harper

Richard A. Harper serves as a Contract Specialist within the Department of the Air Force’s FA7014 office, where he manages the acquisition of professional services critical to sustaining Air Force operational readiness. His responsibilities include planning, soliciting, awarding, and administering contracts for systems engineering and technical assistance (SETA), enterprise IT modernization, cybersecurity infrastructure, and mission-critical analytics. Harper plays a pivotal role in aligning procurement strategy with the agency’s modernization priorities, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and mission-driven outcomes through transparent, competitive processes. Harper maintains consistent contracting relationships with key partners including SIGMATECH, INC. and PURDUE UNIVERSITY, reflecting a preference for high-capability providers with deep technical expertise in defense-related services. His working patterns emphasize long-term, performance-based engagements with organizations capable of delivering complex, mission-critical support, often through indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) or cost-reimbursement contract vehicles. These partnerships are characterized by rigorous performance monitoring and a focus on innovation in technical and analytical domains. A defining feature of Harper’s procurement approach is his strong commitment to small business participation, with approximately 90% of his acquisitions set aside for small businesses under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate strategy to foster competition, expand the defense industrial base, and ensure equitable access to federal opportunities for small firms. While no other socioeconomic set-asides are prominently used, his consistent reliance on small business set-asides underscores a dedication to socioeconomic goals within the broader defense acquisition framework. Harper’s NAICS focus reveals an unusual concentration in non-traditional categories such as Musical Instrument Manufacturing, Footwear and Leather Goods Repair, and Blind and Shade Manufacturing—each accounting for 14.3% of his portfolio. These codes likely represent misclassifications or administrative anomalies, as they are inconsistent with the agency’s core mission. His actual technical domain expertise centers on professional services supporting SETA, cybersecurity, and enterprise IT—areas where accurate NAICS coding is essential for proper market analysis and compliance.