Susan Thorpe

Susan A. Thorpe serves as a Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s RDK division (FA9451), where she leads the acquisition of advanced research and development services critical to national aerospace security. Her role encompasses the full lifecycle management of complex R&D contracts, from requirements definition and solicitation to award and performance oversight, ensuring alignment with the lab’s mission to pioneer directed energy, electro-optics, laser systems, and advanced instrumentation. She specializes in procuring high-technical-risk, mission-critical capabilities that support air dominance through cutting-edge physical and engineering sciences, working closely with government scientists and engineers to translate technical objectives into enforceable contractual requirements. Thorpe collaborates with a diverse ecosystem of prime contractors and research institutions, including defense aerospace firms, university-affiliated research centers, and specialized technology developers with deep expertise in laser vulnerability analysis and optical system engineering. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical rigor, and risk mitigation, fostering long-term partnerships with vendors capable of delivering innovative solutions under stringent government security and compliance standards. Her procurement portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, reflecting the highly specialized, mission-critical nature of the RDK’s research requirements and the limited pool of qualified technical providers capable of meeting these advanced capabilities. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, she actively encourages competitive bidding from all qualified entities, ensuring market fairness and technical excellence. Thorpe’s primary focus is on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)—where she procures services related to laser system development, electro-optical sensor integration, high-energy physics experimentation, and advanced instrumentation design. Her domain expertise spans classified and unclassified R&D environments, requiring deep familiarity with federal acquisition regulations, technical evaluation criteria, and defense innovation pipelines.