Arizona’s National Defense & Security Ecosystem

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Space Ops, established in 2025, is building a national model for space operations. As Arizona’s only nonprofit intermediary partnered with the U.S. Space Force, they accelerate space and defense innovation and bring together government, industry, and academia into one unified statewide platform.

Arizona-based space innovation initiatives starting at $2 million in committed investment can access a matching-funds pathway through Space Ops, which coordinates contributions from all sectors to maximize impact. With a 50/50 match from the U.S. Space Force, this partnership accelerates critical technologies from early concepts to operational deployment, strengthening both Arizona’s and the nation’s space capabilities.

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Federal Contracting Types

Cooperative
Agreements

Provides financial assistance when the U.S. government expects substantial, active involvement in planning, oversight, and execution.

Partnership Intermediary Agreements

Supports universities, startups, state programs, and prototypes. Governed by 15 U.S.C. §3715 and 10 U.S.C. §4124, allowing federal labs to engage with intermediaries.

Sole Source
Contracts

Direct awards without competition, used when one provider uniquely meets project, technical, schedule, or compatibility requirements.

Other
Transaction Authority

Flexible contract alternative supporting research, development, and prototype projects with faster execution and reduced administrative burden.

Tech Transfer Differentiators

Speed
+ Leverage

Streamlines the path from prototype to market by tapping government and defense resources.

Bridging
the Gap

Connects Arizona innovation with national and commercialization opportunities.

Economic Growth

Builds a nationally backed ecosystem advancing research, workforce, and infrastructure across classified and non-classified technologies.

Partnership Innovation

Drives bilateral technology transfer between Arizona innovators and U.S. and international agency programs.

Space Ops Leadership

Space Ops Advisors

Craig Armstrong – Contracts Manager

Harold Bliss – Space & Missile Advisor

William Cooley – Chief Information Security Officer

Elias Johnson – Public Information Officer

Alexander Karim – Advisor

Dudley Kelsey – Advisor

Christine Ladrido – Advisor

Rob Lewis – P.E. Federal Acquisition Advisor

Raymond McNeil – Advisor

Zan Peeters – Advisor

James Richärd – Advisor (Richard Kennedy Architects)

Peter Sangiorgio – Advisor (Arrington Warkins Architects)

Jeffrey Swenson – Advisor

Paul Basha – P.E., PTOE, Transportation Engineering Advisor

Julie Bowman – RN, Medical/Corporate Advisor

Kevin Casey – Advisor

John Esada Jr – Advisor

Coral Evans – Legislative Advisor

Justin Gay – Advisor

Brian Green – Advisor

Ralph Hume Jr – Advisor

Scott Johnson – Laboratory and Testing Advisor