Samantha Shorter

Samantha Shorter serves as a key procurement professional within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), supporting the lifecycle acquisition and sustainment of critical naval aviation systems. She manages complex contracting actions for advanced aeronautical and avionics technologies, ensuring alignment with the Navy and Marine Corps’ strategic imperatives in air superiority and expeditionary operations. Her work spans the full acquisition lifecycle—from requirements validation and source selection to contract execution and performance oversight—focusing on high-technology systems that enhance mission readiness and operational capability across carrier-based and land-based platforms. Shorter maintains sustained contracting relationships with leading defense prime contractors including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, all of which provide cutting-edge aircraft platforms, weapons systems, and integrated avionics. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting and systems integration, often coordinating with engineering and logistics teams to ensure technical compliance and sustainment readiness. These partnerships are characterized by long-term, mission-critical collaboration rather than transactional engagements, reflecting a focus on reliability and operational continuity. Her contracting activity shows no reliance on socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a deliberate focus on accessing the broadest possible industrial base for mission-critical technologies, prioritizing technical capability and readiness over socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in her portfolio, the nature of her acquisitions often involves subcontracting to specialized suppliers within the broader defense ecosystem. Shorter’s primary procurement focus is centered on NAICS 334511—manufacturing of aeronautical and navigation systems—including radar, electronic warfare suites, flight control systems, and mission avionics. Her domain expertise lies in the integration of sensor fusion, secure data links, and digital architecture modernization for next-generation naval aircraft, making her a pivotal figure in sustaining the Navy’s technological edge in contested environments.