Zach Garcia

Zach Garcia serves as a secondary procurement contact within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Propulsion Division (FA9453), supporting the acquisition of advanced aerospace and space systems research. While not the primary contracting officer, he plays a critical role in facilitating the technical evaluation, requirements definition, and contract administration for high-priority R&D initiatives. His work ensures alignment between mission-critical research objectives and procurement execution, particularly in the development of next-generation propulsion technologies, resilient space computing architectures, and autonomous space instrumentation. He routinely engages with technical stakeholders to translate complex scientific requirements into enforceable contract deliverables, enabling rapid prototyping and innovation cycles essential to U.S. space domain superiority. Zach Garcia collaborates with a broad ecosystem of defense contractors, academic research institutions, and specialized engineering firms that provide advanced propulsion systems, high-performance computing hardware, and space-qualified instrumentation. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, he consistently interfaces with vendors possessing deep expertise in hypersonics, electric propulsion, and space-based sensor development. His working relationships are characterized by technical rigor and iterative feedback loops, ensuring contract outcomes meet stringent performance benchmarks for space-environment resilience and operational readiness. Zach Garcia’s procurement activities reflect a strict focus on open competition, with 100% of acquisitions classified as non-set-aside. There is no formal preference for 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs; instead, selections are driven solely by technical capability, past performance, and mission alignment. This approach prioritizes rapid access to cutting-edge innovation over socioeconomic targeting, consistent with the urgent developmental timelines of the AFRL’s space technology portfolio. His primary procurement focus is under NAICS 541715, encompassing research and development in physical and engineering sciences. He procures advanced propulsion subsystems, space-tested avionics, autonomous guidance algorithms, and high-fidelity simulation tools. His domain expertise lies in space propulsion systems, radiation-hardened computing, and on-orbit autonomy—areas critical to sustaining U.S. leadership in resilient space operations.