Sarah Chaffe

Sarah Chaffe serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she manages complex research and development acquisitions critical to advancing U.S. air and space dominance. Her portfolio focuses on next-generation aerospace propulsion systems, hypersonic technologies, and high-performance functional materials, ensuring timely delivery of cutting-edge capabilities through competitive, performance-based contracting. She oversees full lifecycle procurement activities—from market research and solicitation development to contract award and administration—supporting the agency’s mission to accelerate innovation in propulsion and adaptive flight control systems. Chaffe maintains consistent, long-term 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 reflect a preference for established industry leaders with proven technical expertise in propulsion systems, materials science, and flight control integration. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, risk mitigation, and performance accountability, often leveraging cost-reimbursement and firm-fixed-price contracts tailored to high-complexity R&D efforts. Her procurement patterns show a strong emphasis on open competition, with 100% of her awards issued under no set-aside classifications. This reflects a strategic focus on accessing the broadest possible pool of technical capability rather than socioeconomic set-asides, aligning with the specialized, mission-critical nature of her portfolio. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her contracting actions, she ensures fair and open competition consistent with federal acquisition regulations. Chaffe’s primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712, encompassing physical, engineering, and life sciences R&D, with secondary activity in 541715. She routinely procures advanced materials, propulsion subsystems, computational modeling services, and experimental testbed systems for hypersonics and adaptive flight control. Her domain expertise centers on high-temperature materials, combustion dynamics, and propulsion system integration, making her a key steward of the Air Force’s technological edge in next-generation air and space propulsion.