SSgt Thomas Hembree

Thomas Hembree serves as a key procurement professional within the FA5215 766 Ess Pkp unit of the Department of the Air Force, supporting the sustainment of airpower readiness through strategic acquisition of technical, logistical, and infrastructure services. He manages a diverse portfolio of contracts focused on information technology modernization, communications systems, facility maintenance, and specialized operational support, ensuring mission-critical air operations remain secure, resilient, and interoperable. His role centers on executing full lifecycle contracting actions in compliance with FAR and Air Force-specific acquisition policies, with an emphasis on delivering scalable, next-generation capabilities to forward-deployed and garrisoned units. Hembree maintains a focused contractor relationship with ARCTEC ALASKA JV, a primary vendor delivering specialized technical and logistical support tailored to austere environments. While the majority of awards flow through this key partner, he also engages a small cohort of niche providers, reflecting a preference for established, mission-aligned vendors with proven performance in defense-related domains. His contracting patterns suggest a reliance on trusted, long-term partnerships rather than broad open competition, indicating a high degree of operational continuity and technical specificity in vendor selection. A defining feature of Hembree’s procurement strategy is an overwhelming commitment to small business participation, with 87% of awards structured as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5. This reflects a deliberate effort to foster innovation and capacity within the small business industrial base, prioritizing socioeconomic programs that enhance competition and resilience. His contracting patterns consistently channel opportunities to firms certified under small business categories, reinforcing the agency’s mandate to promote equitable access to defense contracting. His primary NAICS focus includes radio and television broadcasting equipment manufacturing, audio/video equipment production, airport operations, and other computer-related services—all aligned with modernizing airfield communications, avionics support, and digital infrastructure. This technical specialization underscores his expertise in procuring mission-critical electronics and operational systems that directly enable air dominance and base resilience.