Stacey Talbott

Stacey L. Talbott serves as a Contracting Officer within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she manages complex acquisition programs supporting next-generation aerospace propulsion, hypersonics, and advanced materials research. Her portfolio encompasses high-priority R&D contracts critical to sustaining U.S. air and space dominance, including engineering services, experimental research, and specialized fabrication capabilities. Talbott ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulations while facilitating rapid technology transition from laboratory innovation to operational readiness, working closely with technical leads to align procurement strategy with mission-critical objectives. She maintains enduring relationships with leading industry partners including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC, each recognized for their technical expertise in propulsion systems, adaptive flight controls, and high-performance composite materials. These partnerships are characterized by long-term collaboration, technical depth, and a focus on solving complex engineering challenges under tight developmental timelines. Talbott’s approach emphasizes performance-based contracting and risk-sharing mechanisms to drive innovation while ensuring accountability. Talbott’s procurement activity is exclusively non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects the highly specialized nature of the technologies required and the limited pool of qualified vendors capable of meeting the rigorous performance standards of aerospace propulsion R&D. While small business set-asides are not utilized, she actively encourages subcontracting opportunities with qualified small businesses through prime contractor performance plans. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services), 238210 (Electrical Contractors), and 541712 (Research and Development in Physical and Engineering Sciences), each representing critical pillars of propulsion system development. She routinely procures advanced materials fabrication, systems integration, computational modeling, and prototype testing services, demonstrating deep familiarity with hypersonic vehicle architectures, thermal management systems, and adaptive control algorithms.