Robert Gigliotti

Robert Gigliotti serves as a Contract Specialist within the FA8750 AFRl Rik office of the Department of the Air Force, where he plays a pivotal role in executing complex R&D acquisitions that advance next-generation aerospace and defense technologies. He specializes in managing full lifecycle contracts for scientific and engineering innovations, particularly in autonomous systems, resilient communications, AI-enabled battle-space awareness, and quantum-enabled sensing. His portfolio emphasizes early-stage research transitions and prototype development, ensuring alignment with the agency’s mission to drive foundational scientific breakthroughs that underpin future air and space dominance. Gigliotti maintains strategic relationships with a diverse set of prime contractors, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin, Eaton Corporation, Technergetics, LLC, and Caelight, Inc. These partnerships span defense integrators, specialized R&D firms, and niche technology providers, reflecting a balanced approach to leveraging both large-system capabilities and agile small business innovation. His contracting patterns favor collaborative, performance-based acquisitions that emphasize technical risk mitigation and rapid prototyping, often involving cost-reimbursement and other flexible contract types suited to high-uncertainty R&D environments. A strong advocate for small business participation, Gigliotti consistently prioritizes Total Small Business Set-Asides, which account for 68% of his awards, demonstrating a deliberate commitment to fostering innovation from the small business ecosystem. He also actively utilizes 8(a) competed set-asides and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-asides, aligning with federal socioeconomic goals while expanding the pool of capable technical vendors in advanced electronics and communications domains. His procurement focus centers on NAICS 334111 (Electronic Computer Manufacturing) and related categories, reflecting deep expertise in procuring advanced computing hardware, test and measurement instrumentation, and wireless communications equipment. He routinely acquires specialized components for embedded systems, signal processing platforms, and free-space optical communication devices, supporting the agency’s technical priorities in AI-driven autonomy and quantum-enhanced sensing.