Suzanne Drake

Suzanne Drake serves as a key procurement lead within the W6QK Acc-apg organization under the Department of the Army, supporting the development and fielding of next-generation intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. She manages acquisitions for advanced aeronautical instrumentation, radio frequency platforms, and battlefield data analytics solutions critical to modern tactical communications networks. Her role centers on ensuring timely, compliant, and technically sound procurement of mission-critical systems that enhance situational awareness and operational effectiveness for deployed forces. She works closely with engineering and acquisition teams to define requirements, structure solicitations, and oversee contract execution across the full lifecycle of complex defense technology programs. Suzanne Drake maintains a broad and diverse contractor base, engaging with defense primes, systems integrators, and specialized technology providers capable of delivering high-assurance sensing and signal processing capabilities. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting and technical merit evaluation, fostering partnerships with vendors experienced in rapid prototyping, field-deployable hardware, and secure data fusion architectures. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently works with firms possessing DoD clearance, ISO certification, and proven experience in military-grade RF and electro-optical systems. Suzanne Drake’s contracting activity is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic focus on accessing the broadest possible pool of technical expertise to meet urgent capability gaps, prioritizing performance, innovation, and mission readiness over socioeconomic preferences. Her approach aligns with the agency’s need for rapid deployment of cutting-edge systems, where specialized capabilities often reside only with large or highly niche industry participants. Her primary procurement focus is on NAICS 921190—Other General Government Support—encompassing advanced engineering services, systems integration, and technical support for military sensing platforms. She procures bespoke hardware, firmware, and software solutions for signal exploitation, geospatial analytics, and real-time battlefield data transmission, demonstrating deep familiarity with DoD acquisition regulations and defense technology standards.