Yolanda M Gomez-Pohl

Yolanda M. Gomez-Pohl serves as a Contract Specialist within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Propulsion Division (FA9453), where she plays a pivotal role in executing complex research and development acquisitions critical to national space superiority. She manages the full lifecycle of contracts supporting advanced propulsion systems, resilient computing architectures, and high-performance space instrumentation, ensuring alignment with the Department of the Air Force’s strategic imperatives in space domain awareness and autonomous operations. Her work directly enables rapid prototyping and foundational innovation, bridging cutting-edge scientific research with timely, compliant procurement solutions under FAR and DFARS frameworks. Gomez-Pohl collaborates with a diverse array of prime contractors and research institutions specializing in aerospace engineering, hypersonics, and space-based sensor development. While no single vendor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages with firms possessing deep technical expertise in rocket propulsion, adaptive materials, and space-qualified electronics, fostering partnerships grounded in technical rigor and performance-based acquisition practices. Her approach emphasizes collaborative contract administration, risk mitigation, and innovation-focused contract types such as Other Transaction Authorities and cost-reimbursement arrangements. Her contracting activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of her acquisitions conducted without set-aside designations. This underscores a mission-driven focus on securing the most technically capable solutions, regardless of business size or socioeconomic status, consistent with the high-stakes, time-sensitive nature of space technology development. Her primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541712—Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences—where she procures advanced engineering services, computational modeling, propulsion system testing, and prototype development for next-generation space systems. Her domain expertise centers on high-energy propulsion, space-grade avionics, and autonomous satellite technologies, making her a key enabler of the Air Force’s next-generation space capabilities.