Rick Savelli

Rick Savelli serves as a key procurement lead within the Naval Research Laboratory, supporting the agency’s mission to advance foundational research and development in support of naval and national security capabilities. He manages complex acquisitions for high-precision scientific instrumentation, electronic warfare systems, signal processing technologies, and autonomous navigation solutions. His work bridges cutting-edge R&D needs with federal contracting frameworks, ensuring that innovative technologies transition efficiently from laboratory prototypes to operational maritime systems. Savelli specializes in science and engineering contracts governed by FAR Part 35 and other advanced R&D acquisition authorities, often coordinating with technical stakeholders to define performance-based requirements and evaluation criteria. He maintains consistent working relationships with a core group of specialized contractors, including Assurance Technology Corp, L3Harris NexGen Communications LLC, Envisioneering Inc, Integration Innovation Inc, and Analex Corporation. These partners are frequently selected for their expertise in developing advanced sensors, analytical instrumentation, and embedded signal processing systems. Savelli’s contracting approach emphasizes technical capability over price alone, fostering long-term partnerships with vendors who demonstrate deep domain knowledge in naval science and engineering applications. His procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 65.4% of awards issued without set-asides, indicating a focus on technical merit and capability. However, he actively supports small business participation, with 30.8% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5 and a modest but intentional 3.9% allocated to women-owned small businesses, reflecting a balanced commitment to both innovation and socioeconomic goals. Savelli’s primary NAICS focus is on 541715 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences), followed by 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) and 511210 (Data Processing and Hosting Services). He consistently procures high-performance electronic systems, laboratory-grade instrumentation, and software-defined signal processing platforms, underscoring his technical expertise in physical sciences and advanced engineering domains critical to next-generation naval systems.