Susan L. Dautel

Susan Dautel serves as a Contract Specialist at the Naval Air Warfare Center (N68936), where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex procurements that support the development and modernization of naval aviation systems. She manages the full lifecycle of contracts for mission-critical technologies, including advanced avionics, sensor systems, analytical instrumentation, and mission simulation software. Her work directly enables the agency’s core mission of research, development, testing, and evaluation of next-generation airborne and maritime warfare capabilities. Dautel specializes in high-precision technical acquisitions requiring stringent compliance with defense acquisition regulations and rigorous performance-based contracting methodologies. She maintains established relationships with leading defense and aerospace contractors including Lockheed Martin Corporation, Jacobs Technology Inc., SAIC, Kranze Technology Solutions Inc., and Teya Support Services LLC. These partnerships are characterized by long-term, performance-driven engagements centered on engineering services, systems integration, and laboratory instrumentation support. Dautel consistently collaborates with prime contractors possessing deep technical expertise in defense electronics and systems engineering, ensuring alignment with the Navy’s evolving operational requirements and technology roadmaps. Dautel’s procurement portfolio reflects a 100% preference for non-set-aside contracts, indicating a strategic focus on full and open competition to secure the highest technical capability and innovation from industry. While she does not routinely utilize socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her contracting approach prioritizes merit-based selection based on technical merit, past performance, and systems integration proficiency. Her primary procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 334516—Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing—reflecting her specialization in procuring precision test and measurement equipment, diagnostic systems, and laboratory-grade instrumentation used in the evaluation of airborne electronics and sensor suites. This technical domain requires deep familiarity with MIL-STD specifications, calibration standards, and ruggedized hardware certification, underscoring her expertise in supporting the Navy’s advanced test and evaluation infrastructure.