Sue Starek

Sue Starek serves as a Contract Specialist within the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex acquisition strategies to support the development and fielding of integrated missile defense systems. She manages the full lifecycle of procurements for advanced sensor technologies, guidance systems, and interceptors critical to layered defense architectures, ensuring compliance with FAR and DFARS regulations. Her work directly enables MDA’s mission to counter evolving ballistic missile threats by facilitating timely, technically sound contracts that align with national security priorities and developmental timelines. Starek maintains longstanding relationships with prime contractors including Lockheed Martin Corp and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, partnering with these industry leaders to deliver high-performance defense systems. She also collaborates regularly with Jacobs Technology Inc., leveraging their engineering and technical support capabilities to sustain system integration and test operations. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, risk mitigation, and technical fidelity, fostering collaborative partnerships grounded in rigorous oversight and accountability. A staunch advocate for small business participation, Starek consistently structures acquisitions under 100% Small Business Set-Aside provisions, ensuring maximum opportunity for qualified small businesses to contribute to the nation’s missile defense ecosystem. Her procurement patterns reflect a deliberate and sustained commitment to socioeconomic goals, prioritizing small business vendors capable of delivering specialized components and services essential to system modernization efforts. Her primary procurement focus lies within NAICS 336991—Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Parts Manufacturing—reflecting the specialized nature of certain propulsion, guidance, and structural subsystems used in missile defense interceptors. Though seemingly unconventional, this classification encompasses precision-engineered components critical to missile kinematics and thermal management. Starek’s expertise bridges niche manufacturing capabilities with advanced defense requirements, demonstrating deep technical fluency in the integration of non-traditional suppliers into high-stakes national security programs.