SUSAN BARLOW

Susan Barlow serves as the primary procurement lead for the Asc Commodities Division within the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, where she oversees the acquisition of mission-critical mechanical and electrical components essential to the sustainment of military aviation systems. Her responsibilities include managing the full lifecycle of contracts for high-reliability fasteners, precision bearings, wiring devices, and fabricated wire products that ensure the structural integrity and electronic functionality of aircraft platforms. She plays a central role in aligning procurement strategies with operational readiness requirements, ensuring timely delivery of defense-grade components under stringent quality and compliance standards. Barlow maintains a broad network of industrial suppliers specializing in aerospace-grade hardware and wire product manufacturing, with no exclusive contractor relationships identified. Her procurement approach emphasizes competitive bidding and technical compliance over sole-source arrangements, fostering a vendor ecosystem grounded in certified manufacturing capabilities and adherence to military specifications such as MS, NAS, and AS standards. She engages with both large-scale manufacturers and specialized fabricators capable of meeting exacting defense requirements, prioritizing reliability, traceability, and just-in-time delivery. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of acquisitions classified as “No Set-Aside,” indicating no formal targeting of 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs. This reflects a mission-driven focus on technical capability and supply chain resilience over socioeconomic preferences, though small businesses remain eligible participants in open solicitations. Barlow’s procurement focus is heavily concentrated in NAICS 332510 (Hardware Manufacturing), encompassing the acquisition of precision-engineered fasteners, retainers, and mounting hardware, with secondary emphasis on NAICS 332618 (Other Fabricated Wire Product Manufacturing), including terminal assemblies, shielded wiring, and custom harnesses. Her expertise lies in sourcing components that meet MIL-SPEC and SAE aerospace standards, demonstrating deep technical fluency in aviation maintenance and sustainment supply chains.