Sharma S. Wilkins

Sharma V. Wilkins serves as a Contract Officer and Negotiator within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she leads the acquisition and negotiation of complex research and development contracts critical to advancing next-generation aerospace propulsion, hypersonic systems, and high-performance materials. Her role is central to executing the agency’s mission of sustaining U.S. air and space dominance through rapid technology transition, overseeing full lifecycle procurement from solicitation to contract award for both fundamental and applied R&D initiatives. She routinely manages cost-reimbursable and fixed-price contracts with stringent technical performance requirements, ensuring alignment with DoD acquisition regulations and mission-critical timelines. Wilkins maintains sustained partnerships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit AeroSystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC, reflecting a preference for established defense aerospace contractors with proven expertise in propulsion systems, adaptive flight controls, and advanced materials development. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and long-term vendor collaboration, often involving multiple-phase R&D contracts that evolve from basic research into prototyping and system integration. Her procurement portfolio reflects no set-aside preferences, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition, indicating a primary focus on technical capability over socioeconomic categorization. While small business participation is not formally prioritized, she maintains compliance with all federal procurement statutes and evaluates vendor qualifications strictly on technical merit and mission readiness. Her primary NAICS focus is 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—underscoring her specialization in propulsion science, materials engineering, and computational fluid dynamics. Secondary categories include specialized construction and building equipment contracting, likely supporting facility upgrades for test stands and hypersonic wind tunnels. Her expertise lies at the intersection of defense R&D procurement and high-fidelity engineering acquisition, ensuring the Air Force remains at the forefront of propulsion innovation.