Ryan Plumley

Ryan Plumley serves as a Program Engineer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (AFRL/PZL), where he plays a critical role in advancing next-generation aerospace propulsion, hypersonics, and high-performance materials research. He bridges technical engineering expertise with acquisition strategy, overseeing the solicitation and management of research and development contracts aligned with the Department of the Air Force’s mission to sustain air and space dominance. Plumley primarily handles complex, mission-critical R&D procurements requiring deep technical validation, often involving prototype development, materials testing, and flight system integration under FAR Part 35 and Other Transaction Authority (OTA) frameworks. He maintains consistent working relationships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES Inc., General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term, technically intensive collaborations focused on propulsion system innovation, adaptive flight control architectures, and advanced composite material development. Plumley engages these vendors through competitive and non-competitive pathways, prioritizing technical capability, past performance, and systems integration expertise over cost alone. Plumley’s procurement portfolio reflects a strong emphasis on open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions conducted under no set-aside classifications. While he does not prioritize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, his approach ensures rigorous technical evaluation and performance-based outcomes, aligning with the high-stakes nature of AFRL’s mission-critical R&D objectives. His primary focus lies within NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where he procures advanced propulsion components, thermal protection systems, hypersonic test hardware, and functional materials with extreme environmental resilience. His technical domain expertise spans gas turbine systems, scramjet integration, additive manufacturing for aerospace applications, and high-temperature material characterization, making him a key technical steward in the nation’s propulsion innovation pipeline.