Steve AA Nickle

Steve AA Nickle serves as a Contract Specialist within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), where he plays a critical role in executing the lifecycle acquisition of naval aviation systems. Responsible for planning, soliciting, awarding, and administering complex contracts, he supports NAVAIR’s mission to modernize and sustain carrier-based and expeditionary aircraft, weapons, avionics, and logistics infrastructure. His procurement portfolio centers on high-technology aerospace systems, including aircraft manufacturing, mission systems integration, and specialized technical services essential to maintaining air superiority for the Navy and Marine Corps. Nickle manages full-spectrum contract actions—from initial requirements validation through contract closeout—ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and defense acquisition policies. He maintains consistent, high-volume contracting relationships with leading defense aerospace primes including Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and General Atomics, reflecting his focus on large-scale, mission-critical platforms such as rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, and advanced weapon integration. His working relationships are characterized by long-term collaboration with prime contractors who deliver complex, system-of-systems solutions under performance-based contract structures, often involving technical risk management and milestone-based incentive mechanisms. Nickle’s contracting activity is exclusively non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic alignment with NAVAIR’s requirement for specialized technical capabilities typically found only among large, established defense contractors with proven systems integration expertise and security clearances. There is no current use of 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or other socioeconomic set-asides in his portfolio. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 336411 (Aircraft Manufacturing), accounting for 75% of his activity, encompassing airframe production, propulsion systems, and flight control integration. The remaining 25% falls under NAICS 541990, covering specialized engineering services such as avionics testing, systems engineering support, and technical analysis for sustainment and modernization programs. His domain expertise lies in the acquisition of manned and unmanned naval aviation platforms and their supporting mission-critical subsystems.