Stephen Fernandez

Stephen Fernandez serves as a key procurement lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate, managing complex research and development contracts critical to advancing next-generation aerospace propulsion, hypersonics, and high-performance materials. His work directly supports the agency’s mission to sustain U.S. air and space dominance by accelerating the transition of foundational science into operational capabilities. He specializes in securing technical services and engineering solutions through competitive acquisitions under the NAICS 541715 category, focusing on physical and engineering sciences research that bridges laboratory innovation with flight-ready systems. His procurement activities are instrumental in enabling rapid prototyping, materials characterization, and adaptive flight control technology development for next-generation propulsion platforms. Fernandez maintains consistent partnerships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are characterized by long-term, technically intensive engagements centered on advanced propulsion system design, composite material development, and systems integration. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical rigor, and iterative collaboration, often involving multiple phases of research, testing, and validation to meet stringent military performance requirements. Fernandez’s procurement portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic focus on accessing the broadest possible pool of technical expertise, prioritizing capability and innovation over socioeconomic classifications. While small business participation is not formally mandated in his acquisitions, the nature of the work often attracts specialized small firms capable of delivering niche engineering solutions within the broader contractor ecosystem. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541715, encompassing advanced research in propulsion physics, thermal management systems, hypersonic aerodynamics, and high-temperature functional materials. He routinely procures engineering services, computational modeling, materials testing, and prototype development for next-generation gas turbine and scramjet systems, demonstrating deep technical fluency in aerospace propulsion domains.