Trisha L. Wellman

Trisha L. Wellman 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 innovation in propulsion engineering, adaptive flight controls, and advanced composites, ensuring that cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs are rapidly transitioned into operational capabilities through strategic acquisition practices. Wellman maintains consistent contractual 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 focus on Tier 1 industry leaders with deep technical expertise in propulsion systems, materials science, and systems integration. Her procurement approach emphasizes long-term collaboration with vendors possessing proven capabilities in high-risk, high-reward R&D environments, often involving classified or sensitive technical domains requiring stringent compliance and intellectual property protections. Wellman’s contracting portfolio reflects a 100% non-set-aside profile, indicating a strategic emphasis on leveraging the broadest possible pool of technical expertise rather than socioeconomic set-asides. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through designated programs like 8(a) or HUBZone, her awards consistently engage firms with specialized niche capabilities, regardless of size, to meet mission-critical performance requirements. Her primary focus is on NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced materials, propulsion subsystems, computational fluid dynamics modeling, and experimental test hardware. Her domain expertise spans hypersonics, turbine engine innovation, thermoplastic composites, and high-temperature material systems, ensuring acquisitions align with the Air Force’s most urgent propulsion modernization priorities.