Shanna Cermak

Shanna Cermak serves as a Contracting Officer at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), where she plays a pivotal role in procuring advanced aviation systems critical to naval airpower readiness. She manages the full lifecycle of complex acquisitions for mission-critical avionics, flight control systems, diagnostic instrumentation, and specialized aircraft support technologies. Her portfolio emphasizes research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) contracts that enable the integration of next-generation capabilities into naval aircraft platforms. Cermak ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurement strategies with NAWCAD’s technical objectives and operational timelines. Cermak maintains enduring relationships with leading defense and aerospace contractors, including Lockheed Martin Corporation, BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., PCI Aviation LLC, Critical Communications, Controls and Instruments, LLC, and Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term collaboration on high-technical-risk programs requiring specialized engineering expertise, rapid prototyping, and rigorous test validation. She frequently engages vendors with proven capabilities in avionics integration, embedded systems, and aircraft maintenance infrastructure, fostering a performance-driven contracting environment grounded in technical rigor and accountability. Cermak’s contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for full and open competition, with 97.4% of her awards issued without set-aside restrictions. While small business participation is limited, she consistently supports the 2.6% of contracts awarded under Total Small Business Set-Aside provisions, ensuring eligible firms have access to niche technical opportunities aligned with their capabilities. Her approach prioritizes mission necessity over socioeconomic preferences, though she remains committed to fair competition and regulatory compliance. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 334519 (Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing) and 336413 (Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing), reflecting deep expertise in sensor systems, flight data acquisition hardware, and non-standard aircraft components. She also regularly procures maintenance and repair services under NAICS 811219, underscoring her role in sustaining fleet readiness through precision engineering and specialized technical support.