Susan M. Paolini

Susan M. Paolini serves as a Senior Contracting Officer responsible for managing complex acquisitions in technical and engineering domains, ensuring compliance with federal procurement regulations and aligning contract outcomes with mission-critical objectives. She leads the full lifecycle of contract actions—from market research and solicitation development to award and closeout—focusing on high-value, science-driven procurements that support advanced research and engineering capabilities. Her portfolio primarily encompasses research and development initiatives and engineering services, requiring deep technical understanding and strategic sourcing expertise to meet evolving federal requirements. Paolini cultivates collaborative relationships with a diverse array of contractors, including large prime firms with specialized R&D capabilities and mid-tier engineering service providers. While no single contractor dominates her award profile, she consistently engages vendors with proven technical proficiency in physical, engineering, and life sciences research. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, rigorous evaluation criteria, and transparent competition, fostering long-term partnerships built on accountability and innovation. Her procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for full and open competition, with 100% of her awards issued without set-aside designations. This indicates a strategic focus on maximizing market access and selecting the most technically qualified offerors regardless of socioeconomic status, rather than prioritizing 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides. While small business participation is not formally mandated in her portfolio, she remains attentive to small business capabilities as subcontractors and team members within larger consortia. Paolini’s primary NAICS focus is 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)—accounting for over 60% of her activity, followed by 541330 (Engineering Services). She regularly procures advanced laboratory systems, computational modeling tools, prototype development services, and technical consulting for aerospace and defense-related engineering applications, demonstrating deep expertise in science-driven acquisition strategy and technical requirements formulation.