About Us - Saratoga Federal

Our Story

As seasoned federal procurement officers, we saw first-hand the gap between desired solutions and those provided, along with the alarming misalignment in value and delivery. Our country deserves better.

Saratoga Federal was built to close that gap from the inside: placing experienced, mission-focused professionals alongside government teams so that programs are planned well, acquired quickly, and executed with discipline.

Our Expertise

We understand both the intricacies of federal procurement as well as mission requirements. Our team brings decades of experience in contracting, program management, systems engineering, and operations across the Department of Defense, the Space Force, and the Intelligence Community.

That experience lets us step into a program office and contribute on day one, with the right sense of urgency and an appreciation for what the mission actually requires.

Severin Blenkush

President, Saratoga Federal

Bio

Colonel (retired) Severin Blenkush is a 27-year Air Force veteran whose career in acquisition culminated as Director of Contracting for Air Mobility Command. Severin was a three-time Commander, deployed to Iraq twice and Qatar once, and served at the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark. His experience includes major weapon system procurement, classified space programs, National Reconnaissance Office acquisition and operations, Defense Contract Management Agency field operations, and executive level strategic planning.

Upon retirement, Severin stepped into an Assistant Vice President role at the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank where he led the Treasury Department’s Invoice Processing Platform program.

Next, Severin became the site lead for the Space Force Space Rapid Capabilities Office’s (Space RCO) Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) contract and also created and led their Business Intel/Outreach function. Severin joined the Space RCO early in its inception and assisted in the development of acquisition strategies for many of the organization’s first programs.

In late 2021, Severin co-founded and was a Managing Partner at Space Advisory Group, guiding new space companies through all phases of government acquisition as well as facilitating business to business connections.

Building on his active-duty Air Force time, support as a contractor to the Space Force, and appreciation for applying speed and agility to matching capabilities to requirements, Severin now heads up Saratoga Group’s government facing solutions provider – Saratoga Federal. In this role, he matches the right talent to a wide variety of needs, ensuring the mission is always accomplished.

DJ Hayes

Managing Partner, Saratoga Advisors

Bio

DJ Hayes advises commercial, defense, and intelligence organizations on bringing advanced space technologies into government and industry applications. Drawing on a career spanning intelligence, acquisition, and space operations across the Air Force, Space Force, Intelligence Community, and commercial space sector, he helps clients align capabilities with national security priorities, navigate federal acquisition pathways, and build strategic partnerships.

DJ began his career as a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, leading efforts to counter emerging space threats in support of USSF, NRO, and USSPACECOM missions. As an Acquisition Program Manager, he led AFRL/RV’s Catalyst Accelerator, connecting hundreds of startups with government stakeholders and funding.

In the private sector, he held business development roles at venture-backed defense startups Orbit Fab and True Anomaly, where he drove DoD and NASA adoption of in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) and directed business development for critical U.S. Space Force programs.

DJ holds an M.S. in Finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and a B.S. in Operations Research from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Andrew Bossert

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Saratoga Advisors

Bio

Andrew Bossert is a defense acquisition and space industry leader with experience spanning contracting, program development, and special operations support across the Air Force, Space Force, and U.S. Special Operations Command, as well as in defense-focused private investment and advisory work.

He holds a Master of Science in Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Finance from the University of Dallas, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in California. He is also a National Security Fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a Saratoga Fellow with the John Jay Institute.

Andrew’s public-sector career includes eight years on active duty as an Air Force Contracting Officer, followed by continued service in the Reserve, where he now serves as a Major in the U.S. Space Force. As an Advanced Concepts Contracting Officer in the Special Programs Directorate at Space and Missile Systems Center, he managed a $740 million portfolio of classified programs fielding and sustaining cutting-edge space capabilities. He deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan as Chief of Contracting for the Special Mission Wing, completed USSOCOM’s SOF AT&L GHOST program, and led operational contracting in the Korean Theater for Seventh Air Force and the 607th Air Support Operations Group.

Most recently, Andrew served as Division Chief and Deputy Division Chief of Space Systems Command’s Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR) program. He helped stand up the program within the Space Force, secured its initial funding, guided a $97.5 million POM submission, and supported language in the FY25 NDAA that put the program on a lasting footing. His government expertise spans unlimited-warrant contracting, classified and contingency acquisition, planning and programming, and commercial space integration, making him a trusted resource for navigating complex federal procurement and acquisition pathways.

In the private sector, Andrew founded a private investment vehicle that backs defense industrial base companies developing systems that strengthen supply chain resilience, energy abundance, and military advantage.

As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Saratoga, Andrew advises commercial, defense, and intelligence organizations on bringing advanced technologies into government programs. He specializes in capture strategy, contract vehicle and acquisition pathway selection, and aligning emerging capabilities with national security priorities.

We unite emerging technologies and exceptional human capital to ensure our nation’s continued success.

Our Story

Our Expertise

Our Mission

Our Leadership

Severin Blenkush

DJ Hayes

Andrew Bossert

Join Us

Experience on the government side of the table, applied with the urgency of the mission.

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