Sara Smith-Custer

Sara Smith-Custer serves as a key procurement professional within the Department of the Air Force, supporting the acquisition of advanced aerospace and information systems critical to maintaining air superiority and space dominance. She manages complex research and development contracts aligned with the Air Force’s modernization priorities, focusing on next-generation avionics, secure C5ISRT architectures, and AI-enabled command and control capabilities. Her role ensures timely delivery of cutting-edge technologies that enhance operational readiness and sustain strategic advantage across global theaters, operating within the broader Department of Defense acquisition framework to align contracting decisions with national defense objectives. Smith-Custer maintains consistent, high-volume contracting relationships with prime defense contractors including The Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin Corporation, reflecting a reliance on industry leaders with proven expertise in aerospace systems integration, electronic warfare, and secure communications platforms. These partnerships are typically structured as full and open competitions under cost-reimbursement and fixed-price incentive contract types, emphasizing technical innovation, systems engineering, and rapid prototyping. Her procurement approach prioritizes deep technical collaboration with contractors to address evolving threats and accelerate capability fielding. Her contracting activity shows no use of socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on accessing the broadest possible pool of technical expertise, prioritizing mission-critical performance over socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in her portfolio, the nature of her acquisitions often involves subcontracting to specialized firms through prime contractor teaming arrangements. Her procurement focus is exclusively centered on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—encompassing advanced systems engineering, sensor development, secure data fusion, and AI-driven analytics for aerospace platforms. She procures mission-critical R&D services that bridge laboratory innovation with operational deployment, ensuring the Air Force maintains technological dominance in contested domains.