Sharde Gross

Sharde Gross serves as a key procurement professional within the Missile Defense Agency, supporting the acquisition of critical missile defense systems and enabling technologies essential to national security. Responsible for managing complex engineering and technical service contracts, Gross plays a central role in advancing MDA’s layered defense architecture by facilitating the development and integration of sensor systems, guidance technologies, and interceptors across all phases of flight. Their procurement activities primarily support research, development, test, and evaluation efforts, with a focus on high-technology systems requiring rigorous performance validation and systems engineering oversight. Gross maintains consistent contracting relationships with industry leaders including Lockheed Martin Corp and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, partnering with these prime contractors to deliver advanced missile defense capabilities. These collaborations often involve multi-year, performance-based contracts for systems integration, software development, and hardware prototyping. Jacobs Technology Inc. is also a frequent collaborator, particularly in support services and technical analysis. The working relationships reflect a preference for established defense industrial base partners with proven expertise in missile defense domains, ensuring technical fidelity and program continuity. Gross’s procurement portfolio exhibits no set-aside preferences, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a mission-driven emphasis on accessing the broadest possible technical capabilities rather than socioeconomic set-asides, aligning with the high-stakes, time-sensitive nature of missile defense programs where specialized expertise takes precedence over socioeconomic categories. The primary NAICS focus areas are 541330 (Engineering Services) and 562213 (Solid Waste Combustors and Incinerators), with the former dominating contract activity. Engineering services encompass systems engineering, modeling and simulation, radar integration, and guidance algorithm development. The inclusion of 562213 appears to relate to specialized environmental compliance or test range infrastructure support. Gross’s expertise lies in acquiring technically demanding, mission-critical engineering solutions that underpin the nation’s ballistic missile defense architecture.