Sheila Titer

Sheila Titer serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate, operating under the FA8650 contract vehicle. She manages complex research and development acquisitions focused on advanced aerospace propulsion systems, hypersonic technologies, and high-performance functional materials critical to maintaining U.S. air and space superiority. Her portfolio centers on engineering R&D contracts that bridge fundamental scientific discovery with operational capability, ensuring rapid transition of innovative propulsion architectures and adaptive flight control systems from laboratory to field. She oversees the full lifecycle of technical acquisitions, from solicitation through contract performance, ensuring alignment with AFRL’s mission to accelerate next-generation propulsion innovation. Titer maintains consistent partnerships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit AeroSystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships reflect a preference for established defense aerospace contractors with proven expertise in propulsion systems, composite materials, and flight systems integration. Her contracting approach emphasizes technical rigor, performance-based outcomes, and long-term collaboration with vendors capable of delivering high-risk, high-reward R&D solutions under stringent aerospace standards. Her procurement activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under unrestricted competition. This reflects a mission-driven focus on accessing the most technically capable entities regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing capability over preference in a domain where specialized expertise is scarce and mission-critical. Small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, though qualified small firms may still compete as prime or subcontractors within broader teaming arrangements. Titer’s acquisitions are exclusively classified under NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—reflecting a deep specialization in advanced materials science, propulsion system design, and hypersonics R&D. She procures services related to computational fluid dynamics, additive manufacturing of turbine components, thermal protection systems, and high-temperature structural composites, supporting the development of next-generation air-breathing and rocket-based combined cycle engines.