Sarah Ballard

Sarah Ballard serves as the primary contracting lead for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she manages complex research and development acquisitions critical to advancing next-generation aerospace propulsion, hypersonic systems, and high-performance functional materials. She plays a central role in executing the agency’s mission to accelerate the transition of cutting-edge technologies from laboratory innovation to operational capability, overseeing full lifecycle procurement of engineering services, advanced materials development, and flight system integration. Her portfolio is dominated by fundamental and applied R&D contracts requiring deep technical oversight and close collaboration with scientific teams to align acquisition strategy with mission-critical technical objectives. Ballard maintains sustained working relationships with leading defense and aerospace contractors including UES Inc., General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term, performance-based engagements focused on propulsion system prototyping, thermal management materials, and adaptive control architectures. She routinely engages prime contractors with proven expertise in high-risk, high-reward technical domains, fostering collaborative environments that support rapid iteration and technical risk mitigation through structured contract vehicles such as OTAs and basic ordering agreements. Her procurement activity shows no reliance on socioeconomic set-asides, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-driven prioritization of technical capability and schedule certainty over socioeconomic preferences, consistent with the high-stakes nature of propulsion innovation. While small business participation is not formally targeted, contractors of all sizes are evaluated strictly on technical merit and past performance in advanced aerospace systems. Her primary focus lies within NAICS 541715, encompassing R&D in physical and engineering sciences, with deep specialization in propulsion systems, hypersonic aerodynamics, and advanced composite materials. She procures services spanning computational fluid dynamics modeling, material characterization, wind tunnel testing, and integrated system validation, requiring contractors with demonstrated expertise in extreme environment engineering and DoD compliance standards.