Scott Pearl

Scott Pearl serves as Program Manager within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), overseeing the acquisition of advanced aerospace propulsion systems, hypersonic technologies, and high-performance functional materials critical to U.S. air and space dominance. In this role, he leads the end-to-end procurement lifecycle for complex R&D contracts, ensuring alignment with national defense priorities and technical innovation goals. His acquisitions focus on transitioning fundamental research into operational capabilities, coordinating closely with engineers and scientists to define technical requirements, evaluate vendor proposals, and manage performance milestones for mission-critical propulsion and flight control systems. Pearl maintains consistent partnerships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are built on long-term collaboration in advanced materials development, propulsion system prototyping, and computational fluid dynamics modeling. He favors contractors with proven expertise in aerospace propulsion, adaptive control systems, and high-temperature composite manufacturing, often engaging them through competitive sole-source or limited-source procurements based on specialized technical capability rather than price alone. There is no set-aside preference in his procurement portfolio; all acquisitions are conducted under full and open competition. This reflects the highly specialized nature of the technologies required, where only a limited pool of vendors possesses the necessary clearance, facilities, and domain expertise. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic programs, all vendors are evaluated on technical merit, past performance, and capacity to deliver mission-critical outcomes. Pearl’s acquisitions are exclusively classified under NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—reflecting his deep focus on fundamental and applied R&D in propulsion physics, hypersonic aerodynamics, and advanced material systems. He procures services spanning computational simulation, wind tunnel testing, additive manufacturing of turbine components, and integration of thermal protection systems, ensuring the Air Force maintains technological superiority in next-generation flight platforms.