Traci L Schafer

Traci L. Schafer serves as a Contract Negotiator within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she plays a pivotal role in securing advanced aerospace technologies critical to U.S. air and space dominance. She leads the negotiation and award of complex research and development contracts focused on next-generation propulsion systems, hypersonic flight technologies, and high-performance functional materials. Her work directly supports the agency’s mission to accelerate the transition of cutting-edge scientific innovations from laboratory prototypes to operational capabilities, ensuring alignment with DoD acquisition regulations and technical performance requirements. Schafer maintains longstanding relationships with industry leaders including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships are characterized by deep technical collaboration on classified and unclassified R&D initiatives, often involving prototype development, materials characterization, and system integration for propulsion platforms. Her negotiation approach emphasizes performance-based contracting, technical risk mitigation, and iterative feedback loops with prime contractors to ensure alignment with AFRL’s rapid prototyping objectives. Her procurement portfolio reflects a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside provisions. This reflects a deliberate strategy to prioritize technical excellence and industrial capacity over socioeconomic preferences, ensuring access to the most capable and experienced entities in advanced aerospace engineering. While small business participation is not formally incentivized through set-asides, she actively encourages subcontracting opportunities through prime contractor performance plans. Schafer’s primary focus is on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures specialized services in propulsion system design, adaptive flight control algorithms, ceramic matrix composites, and high-temperature material testing. Her expertise spans the full lifecycle of R&D contracting, from statement of work development to technical evaluation and contract closeout, ensuring rigorous compliance with federal acquisition regulations and mission-critical performance standards.