Sheri Della Silva

Sheri Della Silva serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Propulsion Division (FA9453), where she manages complex research and development acquisitions critical to advancing U.S. space dominance. Her role centers on executing full lifecycle contracting for high-priority aerospace technologies, including propulsion systems, resilient space computing architectures, and next-generation space domain awareness instrumentation. She ensures alignment with AFRL’s mission to accelerate innovation through rapid prototyping and foundational science, overseeing competitive solicitations that bridge government R&D objectives with industry capabilities. Her acquisitions are strategically designed to support autonomous space operations and secure satellite communications platforms. Della Silva collaborates with a diverse ecosystem of defense contractors, academic research institutions, and specialized technology firms engaged in aerospace engineering and systems integration. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her contracting patterns reflect a preference for partners with proven expertise in hypersonics, advanced propulsion, and high-performance instrumentation. She fosters long-term partnerships with firms capable of delivering rapid iteration and technical adaptability, often engaging in Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements and prototype contracts to expedite innovation cycles. Her procurement strategy exhibits no set-aside preferences, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects the highly specialized, mission-critical nature of the technologies being acquired, where technical superiority and national security imperatives take precedence over socioeconomic targeting. While small business participation is not formally mandated, she remains open to qualified small firms demonstrating unique technical capabilities in space systems development. Della Silva’s primary focus is NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences. She procures advanced engineering services, computational modeling, materials science research, and instrumentation development for space-based platforms. Her technical domain expertise spans rocket propulsion, space resilience, and autonomous navigation systems, ensuring the Air Force maintains technological superiority in the space domain.