Tisha McLelland

Tisha McLelland serves as a Contracting Officer within the FA8773 Acc 38 Cons organization under the Department of the Air Force, where she leads the acquisition of mission-critical cyberspace and space domain capabilities. Her portfolio centers on securing advanced IT infrastructure, secure communications systems, and formalized cyber operations training platforms essential to Air Force readiness. She manages full lifecycle procurements—from market research and solicitation to contract award and administration—ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and alignment with national defense priorities in high-tempo cyber and space environments. McLelland’s acquisitions are strategically focused on sustaining and modernizing sensitive computing environments that support classified and operational missions. She maintains a consistent working relationship with Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, a key contractor delivering specialized cyber defense and systems integration services. Her procurement pattern reflects a preference for established industry partners with proven technical expertise in secure network architecture, cyber training simulations, and mission-critical IT modernization. McLelland collaborates closely with vendors capable of meeting stringent DoD cybersecurity standards, including NIST SP 800-53 and RMF compliance, ensuring that delivered solutions are operationally viable and audit-ready. McLelland’s contracting activity is exclusively non-set-aside, with 100% of her awards issued under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on technical capability and mission urgency over socioeconomic preferences, prioritizing performance, innovation, and readiness over certification-based set-asides. While she does not routinely utilize 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs, her approach ensures that acquisitions are awarded based on technical merit and proven operational experience in high-consequence domains. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541512 (Computer Systems Design Services), where she procures end-to-end cyber systems engineering, secure network design, and mission-specific IT architecture services. She consistently sources contractors with deep expertise in cyber operations training, space-based communications resilience, and hardened facility IT support—ensuring that the Air Force maintains technological superiority in contested domains.