Sara A Higgins

Sara A. Higgins serves as a Contracting Officer within the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), where she plays a critical role in executing complex acquisition strategies to support the development and fielding of integrated missile defense systems. Responsible for managing the full lifecycle of contracts—from solicitation and source selection to award and closeout—she ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while advancing MDA’s mission to protect U.S. and allied forces against ballistic missile threats. Her portfolio primarily encompasses high-tech defense systems, including radar sensors, kinetic interceptors, battle management software, and command-and-control architectures, often requiring rapid prototyping and engineering services under fixed-price and cost-reimbursement contract types. Higgins maintains strong, ongoing relationships with prime defense contractors including Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, leveraging their technical expertise in missile defense architecture, guidance systems, and layered interception technologies. She also collaborates regularly with Jacobs Technology Inc., particularly for systems integration and test support services. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established industry partners with proven capability in delivering mission-critical, high-assurance defense solutions under tight technical and schedule constraints. Higgins’s procurement portfolio reflects a 100% non-set-aside approach, indicating a focus on full and open competition for mission-essential capabilities requiring specialized technical expertise and industrial base readiness. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, her awards may still include small business subcontracting through prime contractor obligations. Her industry focus centers on defense systems integration, advanced sensor modernization, and guided weapon development, aligning with NAICS categories related to aerospace defense manufacturing and military engineering services. She routinely procures advanced electronics, hypersonic tracking systems, midcourse discrimination sensors, and terminal-phase interceptors, demonstrating deep familiarity with the technical and acquisition challenges inherent in national missile defense programs.