Trisha Buddelmeyer

Trisha Buddelmeyer serves as a Contract Specialist within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where she manages complex research and development acquisitions critical to advancing U.S. air and space dominance. Her role centers on executing full lifecycle contract actions for high-priority propulsion, hypersonics, and advanced materials programs, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations while aligning procurement outcomes with the agency’s mission to accelerate next-generation aerospace technologies. She specializes in securing scientific and engineering services through competitive and sole-source mechanisms, often navigating technically demanding requirements in propulsion systems, adaptive flight control, and functional material development. Buddelmeyer maintains consistent working relationships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit AeroSystems Inc., and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These partnerships reflect a pattern of engagement with industry leaders possessing deep technical expertise in propulsion systems, composite materials, and high-fidelity simulation capabilities. Her contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, technical risk mitigation, and long-term collaboration with vendors capable of delivering cutting-edge solutions under stringent government R&D timelines. Her procurement portfolio reflects a 100% no set-aside preference, indicating a focus on acquiring specialized capabilities primarily available through large, established industry partners with the infrastructure to support classified, high-performance research. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, her contracts often incorporate subcontracting opportunities that enable smaller firms to contribute specialized technical inputs under prime contractor oversight. Buddelmeyer’s acquisitions are exclusively classified under NAICS 541712, reflecting a singular focus on research and development in physical, engineering, and life sciences. She procures advanced propulsion components, hypersonic test hardware, high-temperature materials, and computational modeling services, requiring deep domain expertise in aerodynamics, thermodynamics, and materials science. Her work directly supports the development of next-generation propulsion systems essential to maintaining U.S. air and space superiority.