Stefanie Applegate

Stefanie Applegate serves as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), where she plays a critical role in procuring advanced avionics, flight control systems, and diagnostic instrumentation essential to naval aviation readiness. She manages complex acquisitions under FAR and DFARS guidelines, focusing on research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) contracts that support next-generation aircraft systems. Her portfolio centers on high-precision technical solutions requiring rigorous performance validation, often involving custom-engineered components for airborne platforms. Applegate ensures compliance with defense acquisition protocols while facilitating timely delivery of mission-critical technologies to sustain naval airpower superiority. She maintains longstanding procurement relationships with leading defense contractors including Lockheed Martin Corporation, BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., and PCI Aviation LLC, among others. These partnerships are characterized by sustained engagement on technical integrations, system upgrades, and specialized instrumentation development. Applegate routinely collaborates with prime contractors who possess deep domain expertise in aerospace electronics and avionics integration, often coordinating multi-phase contract actions that involve technical specification validation, source selection, and performance-based delivery schedules. Applegate’s contracting activity reflects a strong preference for unrestricted competition, with 98.7% of awards issued without set-aside designations. While small business participation is limited, she occasionally utilizes Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5 for niche technical requirements where specialized capabilities are available only from small entities. Her socioeconomic contracting patterns prioritize technical capability over socioeconomic preferences, aligning with NAWCAD’s mission-driven acquisition strategy. Her primary NAICS focus areas include 334515 for electrical signal measurement instrumentation, 336413 for auxiliary aircraft equipment, and 334519 for precision control devices. She specializes in procuring mission-critical systems such as flight data recorders, navigation sensors, and communication interfaces, demonstrating deep familiarity with aerospace engineering standards and defense-specific testing protocols.