Susan Shean, Contracting Officer

Susan Shean serves as a key procurement lead within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), managing high-risk, high-reward acquisitions aligned with the agency’s mission to accelerate transformative military technologies. She oversees complex research and development contracts spanning advanced computing, autonomous systems, bio-integrated technologies, and next-generation materials, often supporting early-stage innovation through non-traditional contracting mechanisms. Her portfolio emphasizes rapid prototyping and agile acquisition pathways to transition cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs into operational capability, working closely with research institutions, defense contractors, and emerging technology firms. Shean maintains strategic relationships with leading technical partners including AEROSPACE & COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LLC, and ABBOTT LABORATORIES INC., reflecting a focus on dual-use innovations in computing, sensing, and biomedical engineering. Her contracting patterns favor established defense and science contractors with proven R&D capabilities, while also engaging specialized firms in systems design, computational infrastructure, and technical consulting to support DARPA’s interdisciplinary program execution. Her procurement approach is overwhelmingly non-set-aside, with 94.7% of awards issued under full and open competition, indicating a prioritization of technical merit and mission urgency over socioeconomic preferences. Only 5.3% of awards are structured as total small business set-asides, suggesting a selective but deliberate inclusion of qualified small businesses when their specialized capabilities align with program needs. Her primary NAICS focus areas include Computer Systems Design Services, Computer Facilities Management Services, and Administrative Management Consulting, underscoring a heavy reliance on technical integration, systems architecture, and program management support. Shean’s work centers on enabling DARPA’s mission-critical innovation cycles through procurement of advanced computing infrastructure, data systems, and engineering services that underpin breakthroughs in autonomy, AI, and bio-hybrid technologies.