Richard Warren

Dr. Richard Warren serves as a technical contracting lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where he oversees the acquisition of advanced aerospace propulsion systems, hypersonic technologies, and high-performance functional materials. His role bridges scientific innovation with federal procurement, ensuring that cutting-edge R&D initiatives align with mission-critical Air Force objectives. Dr. Warren manages complex, science-driven contracts requiring deep technical oversight, typically involving fundamental and applied research in propulsion physics, adaptive flight control, and advanced material systems. He is instrumental in translating laboratory breakthroughs into viable defense capabilities through structured competitive and sole-source acquisition pathways. Dr. Warren maintains strategic 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 long-term collaboration on high-risk, high-reward propulsion and materials development programs, often involving classified or controlled technical data. His contracting approach emphasizes technical merit, innovation readiness, and systems integration capability, favoring vendors with proven expertise in hypersonics, turbine propulsion, and composite material fabrication. Dr. Warren’s procurement portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-critical emphasis on accessing the most technically capable entities regardless of size or socioeconomic status, prioritizing performance and technological readiness over socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in his portfolio, vendors of all sizes are evaluated strictly on technical merit and programmatic alignment. His primary focus is NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where he procures advanced propulsion subsystems, thermal protection systems, combustion diagnostics, and high-temperature structural materials. Dr. Warren’s expertise lies in managing R&D contracts that span fundamental science to prototype integration, ensuring the Air Force maintains dominance in next-generation air and space propulsion systems.