Starr Ginn

Starr Ginn serves as a key procurement lead at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, supporting the agency’s mission to advance aeronautical innovation through flight testing and experimental aircraft modification. Responsible for managing complex acquisitions in aerospace systems, Ginn oversees contracts for the integration of advanced flight control architectures, propulsion systems, and sensor suites into modified aircraft platforms. Their work directly enables the validation of next-generation aviation technologies, aligning procurement activities with NASA’s strategic priorities in hypersonics, autonomy, and flight safety. Ginn handles high-stakes, technically demanding procurements requiring rigorous compliance with federal aerospace standards and deep domain expertise in flight-test readiness. Ginn maintains consistent working relationships with leading aerospace prime contractors, notably PRIORITY 1 AVIATION INC and ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, partnering with vendors capable of delivering custom-engineered aircraft systems and high-performance propulsion components. These collaborations are characterized by long-term, mission-critical engagements that require technical collaboration, iterative prototyping, and stringent quality assurance protocols. The procurement approach emphasizes vendor capability in systems integration, flight-certified hardware development, and rapid prototyping for experimental platforms. Ginn’s contracting portfolio reflects a strict focus on full and open competition, with no set-aside preferences applied across all acquisitions. This approach prioritizes technical superiority and mission-critical performance over socioeconomic classifications, ensuring that the most capable industrial partners—regardless of business size or certification—are selected to meet the unique demands of flight research. The primary procurement focus is on NAICS 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), encompassing the modification, integration, and testing of experimental aircraft systems. Ginn specializes in acquiring advanced avionics, flight test instrumentation, propulsion subsystems, and structural modifications for research aircraft, demonstrating deep expertise in aerospace engineering procurement and systems-level acquisition management.