Susan Applegate
Director Strategic Pricing, MTSI Inc.
Susan Applegate led the development and enhancement of MTSI’s overarching strategic pricing function, an initiative that seamlessly integrates pricing strategy, price to win, and pricing solutions into the company’s existing capture and proposal process. This comprehensive effort aligned bid strategies with broader growth objectives.
Collaboration with MTSI’s exceptional competitive intelligence capabilities empowers bid teams with the necessary insights to craft compelling and winning pricing proposals, she said.
Applegate’s expertise and leadership in pricing strategy have been invaluable to MTSI, said MTSI President and CEO Kevin Robinson. He called her a trusted partner who provides detailed analyses, guidance and suggestions to navigate competitive pricing and complex proposal requirements.
“Her contributions continue to enable our leadership to make well-informed business decisions that support our growth objectives and enhance our overall pricing strategy proficiency,” Robinson added.
Why Watch
In 2025, Applegate is focused on advancing integration across the pricing cycle and improving cohesion among proposal volumes. She’s re-engineering the Basis of Estimate process to create seamless transitions from technical details to management and pricing, ensuring clear connections that support a unified vision. This focus enables the development of pricing and staffing methodologies that give senior leaders options to drive successful outcomes while aligning with the administration’s priorities on cost reduction, streamlined operations and improved government efficiency.
MTSI supports customer missions by delivering technical and engineering services the government cannot provide alone. As a 100% employee-owned S-corporation, MTSI helps the Defense Department educate current and prospective customers about legislation, including a DOD pilot program under DFARS 270.1.
The program encourages contracting offices to work with employee-owned businesses and offers a streamlined contracting option. Using 270.1 authority allows contracting officers to focus on new initiatives that support the warfighter, saving time and costs while ensuring uninterrupted military support.
Fun fact: After the return to flight, Applegate worked on the space shuttle program at Kennedy Space Center. Her previous company processed payloads for shuttle missions, giving her the chance to see Space Station components assembled, meet and socialize with astronauts, and even tour the Shuttle Columbia — capturing an unforgettable photo in the captain’s seat.