Xavier L. Rice

Xavier L. Rice serves as a key procurement professional within the FA4417 1 Socons, a critical unit under the Department of the Air Force responsible for sustaining and modernizing airpower capabilities through advanced acquisition programs. He manages the acquisition of mission-critical communications, navigation, and defense infrastructure systems essential to operational readiness. His portfolio centers on securing secure radio and wireless communications equipment, aeronautical navigation systems, and integrated base defense technologies, ensuring the Air Force maintains technological superiority in contested environments. Rice’s work directly supports the agency’s strategic imperative to enhance operational resilience through reliable, next-generation defense systems. He maintains consistent contracting relationships with a select group of established vendors including AANTILIA LLC, MARRERO, COUVILLON & ASSOCIATES, L.L.C., MATTHES PARKER LLC, L1 ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED, and WALCO ENTERPRISES INC. These partnerships reflect a preference for experienced contractors with proven expertise in defense-grade communications hardware, specialized electronics, and mission-support infrastructure. His contracting approach emphasizes performance reliability, compliance with military specifications, and timely delivery of complex technical systems under stringent security protocols. Rice demonstrates a strong commitment to small business participation, with over 40 percent of his acquisitions structured as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5. While no other socioeconomic set-asides dominate his portfolio, his consistent use of small business contracting mechanisms supports broader DoD goals of fostering innovation and workforce diversity within the defense industrial base. His procurement focus is heavily concentrated in NAICS 334220 for radio and wireless communications equipment manufacturing, followed by 334511 for aeronautical navigation and guidance systems. He routinely procures secure transceivers, tactical data links, avionics components, and integrated electronic defense suites, reflecting deep technical expertise in military-grade RF systems and mission-critical communications architectures.