21 Oct 2026 09:00
Translating Engineers’ Needs into Airtight Agreements
When the Navy’s research and development arm needs to buy equipment or services, Marta Rajchel helps decide how. As a procurement lawyer for the Department of Defense, she works with contracting staff and the scientists and engineers who define what the government needs. In this episode, Marta walks through a purchase from start to finish: choosing a contract structure, reviewing solicitations for ambiguity, checking bid evaluations, and representing the agency when a losing bidder files a protest. She explains why ending a contract with a poorly performing contractor can still mean paying them, and how she contracts with smaller companies outside the standard federal rules. Marta also discusses learning a dense body of regulations and how federal culture compares to private practice.
Marta is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School.
This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.
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