Sheri Della Silva

Sheri Della Silva serves as a key procurement professional within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Propulsion Division (FA9453), supporting the Department of the Air Force’s mission to advance next-generation space and aerospace technologies. She manages complex research and development acquisitions focused on high-performance instrumentation, resilient computing architectures, and autonomous space systems. Her portfolio centers on foundational science and rapid prototyping initiatives critical to space domain awareness, satellite communications, and next-generation propulsion technologies. Della Silva ensures acquisitions align with strategic DoD innovation priorities, facilitating timely contract execution for cutting-edge engineering solutions. Her contractor relationships are primarily with defense aerospace primes, specialized R&D firms, and advanced technology integrators capable of delivering high-risk, high-reward prototypes under tight technical and schedule constraints. She fosters collaborative partnerships with vendors possessing deep expertise in hypersonics, space-grade electronics, and real-time data processing systems. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, her contracting patterns reflect a preference for firms with proven experience in classified aerospace environments and agile development methodologies. Della Silva’s procurement activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects the specialized, mission-critical nature of the technologies being acquired, where technical capability and performance certainty outweigh socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her contracting approach, vendors of all sizes must demonstrate technical rigor and rapid prototyping capacity to compete successfully. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541715—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced propulsion test systems, space-qualified sensors, radiation-hardened computing platforms, and autonomous guidance algorithms. Her domain expertise lies in enabling the transition of laboratory innovations into operational space systems, requiring deep technical fluency in aerospace engineering, systems integration, and defense acquisition regulations.