Stephanie Tancik

Stephanie Tancik serves as the primary contracting lead for the FA2518 USSF SPOC/SAIO under the Department of the Air Force, overseeing the acquisition of advanced space domain capabilities essential to national security. She manages a diverse portfolio of engineering, telecommunications, and research contracts aimed at modernizing space-based surveillance, satellite communications, and electromagnetic warfare systems. Her role is central to sustaining operational superiority in contested space environments, ensuring timely delivery of mission-critical technologies through compliant, performance-based procurement strategies. Tancik specializes in complex, high-stakes acquisitions requiring rigorous technical evaluation and systems integration expertise. She maintains consistent working relationships with key industry partners including Keystone Mission Solutions Corp, Riverside Research Institute, and Bowhead Information Technology Service LLC, all of which provide specialized engineering, systems analysis, and cyber-resilient communications solutions. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for established defense technology providers with proven experience in space systems and classified environments, fostering long-term partnerships grounded in technical excellence and mission alignment. These relationships are characterized by iterative collaboration, rapid prototyping support, and adherence to strict security and compliance protocols. Tancik demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic contracting, with 60% of her awards structured as 8(a) competed set-asides, reflecting a deliberate focus on empowering small disadvantaged businesses in the national security supply chain. The remaining 40% are awarded under open competition, balancing small business inclusion with the need for specialized, non-traditional capabilities. Her approach reinforces the agency’s mandate to cultivate a diverse, innovative vendor base while maintaining mission readiness. Her procurement focus centers on NAICS 541715 (Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences), driving investments in space domain awareness, signal intelligence, and advanced satellite architectures, alongside NAICS 517810 (All Other Telecommunications), supporting secure, resilient space-to-ground communication networks. She consistently acquires next-generation hardware, software-defined systems, and electromagnetic spectrum management tools critical to maintaining U.S. space dominance.