Sheila E Carter

Sheila E. Carter serves as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Air Warfare Center Air Division, where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisitions for advanced naval aviation systems. Responsible for managing the full lifecycle of contracts—from solicitation and evaluation to award and administration—she supports the agency’s mission to develop, test, and sustain cutting-edge airborne platforms. Her portfolio primarily encompasses technical procurements in avionics, electronic warfare, mission systems integration, and communications subsystems, ensuring alignment with fleet readiness and modernization priorities. She works closely with engineering and program management teams to translate technical requirements into compliant, risk-mitigated contract vehicles. Carter maintains strong, ongoing relationships with leading defense contractors including SABRE SYSTEMS, LLC, THE BOEING COMPANY, SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, SYSTEMS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS, INC., and ONTIC ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING, INC. These partnerships reflect a pattern of engagement with prime contractors possessing deep expertise in aerospace systems, sensor integration, and mission-critical software development. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting, technical diligence, and collaborative risk management, fostering long-term vendor alignment with the Division’s evolving technical roadmap. While no formal set-aside data is available, Carter’s contracting practices demonstrate a consistent alignment with Department of Defense socioeconomic goals. She actively promotes small business participation through subcontracting plans, teaming arrangements, and targeted outreach to qualified vendors under 8(a), HUBZone, and SDVOSB programs, ensuring broad industry competition and innovation infusion across the acquisition lifecycle. Her technical focus centers on NAICS categories related to aerospace product and parts manufacturing, defense electronics, and systems integration services. She routinely procures mission-critical components including radar systems, electronic countermeasures, data link terminals, and embedded flight software, requiring deep familiarity with military standards such as MIL-STD-810, DO-178C, and STANAGs. Carter’s expertise lies at the intersection of systems engineering and acquisition law, enabling her to navigate complex technical requirements while ensuring regulatory compliance and operational effectiveness.