The U.S. government has, for decades, been inundated with legacy systems and equipment and slow procurement cycles that led to high maintenance costs and inefficient delivery of public services and left critical infrastructures vulnerable to cyberthreats. All of that seems to be changing.
In 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to accelerate defense procurement and spur innovation across the defense industrial base. Across government, spending on new technologies is increasing as agencies modernize their systems and explore new capabilities to meet mission requirements. Forrester projects that, in 2026, technology spending across the government sector will reach $357 billion.
In the government’s ongoing transformation, industry will play a key role. From providing the very technologies that power missions to ensuring new tools integrate seamlessly with legacy systems, the government will need contractors to support its technical and cultural change to meet modern demands and threats.
Why Should You Attend Government Technology Events?
Events can be a critical tool for contractors to pursue opportunities to support agency transformations successfully. These forums offer several strategic advantages, such as:
Form Strategic Teaming Partnerships
Summits create opportunities for government contractors to build relationships that strengthen capabilities and help them respond to government requirements.
Stay Ahead of Compliance Mandates
Attending summits allows GovCons to move beyond public documentation to understand how agencies are prioritizing critical requirements, such as the DOW’s 2027 zero trust deadline. By hearing directly from officials, companies can align strategies and roadmaps with shifting federal requirements.
Align Strategies With Agency Realities
Summits enable attendees to compare internal tech development with the explicit priorities voiced by speakers, ensuring that firms avoid building solutions for problems the government has already solved.
Identify Upcoming Opportunities
Monitoring dialogues allows firms to anticipate shifts in agency priorities and align their internal roadmaps with emerging federal needs before the procurement process begins.
Hear Directly From Decision-Makers
Summits bring high-ranking government officials into a single room. Instead of navigating layers of bureaucracy, contractors can hear directly from the people who set the requirements and control the budgets.
2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit
When: March 18
Where: Hyatt Regency Reston
The Potomac Officers Club annually hosts its AI Summit, which brings together technology industry innovators and government decision-makers to explore techniques and strategies for integrating and scaling the deployment of AI, machine learning and automation into federal systems and government processes.
For this year’s edition, the Potomac Officers Club booked Cameron Stanley, chief digital and AI officer at the Department of War, to deliver the opening keynote. He is expected to take the stage just as the DOW mandates the use of AI to enhance operational efficiency and accelerate decision-making.
Other government speakers at the upcoming event include officials from the U.S. Space Force, the U.S. Army, the Department of State, the Office of Personnel Management and the FBI. From industry, leaders from Oracle Government Defense & Intelligence, Salesforce, SAIC, Empower AI, OpenAI and other federal technology providers will join insightful panel discussions throughout the day.
Tickets are still available here.
2026 Digital Transformation Summit
When: April 22
Where: Hilton-McLean
The 2026 Digital Transformation Summit focuses the spotlight on the modernization of technology systems across the U.S. federal civilian, military and executive agencies.
The summit explores how the government can move away from outdated legacy systems and embrace commercial industry tools and partnerships to ensure that the U.S. maintains a competitive edge globally.
Confirmed speakers at the event include modernization experts from the U.S. Space Force, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering, CACI, Tricentis, OMNI and Carnegie Mellon University.
Register now to save your seat.
2026 Cyber Summit
When: May 21
Where: Falls Church Marriott Fairview Park
The 2026 Cyber Summit will bring together public and private sector leaders to discuss the urgency of protecting government data against global adversaries and sophisticated cyber threats. During the summit, government leaders are expected to provide updates on their respective agencies’ cybersecurity journeys.
Potomac Officers Club lists leaders from Deloitte, Capgemini, ECS and North Star Labs as speakers at the event.
Sign up here to secure your spot.
2026 Army Summit
When: June 18
Where: Falls Church, Virginia
The Potomac Officers Club’s Army Summit returns this year to bring together top leaders from the Army and industry to explore the latest advancements in force modernization and procurement restructuring following the service’s recent transformation initiatives. Last year’s roster of speakers included Leonel Garciga, chief information officer of the Army and a two-time Wash100 awardee. The 2026 edition of the summit promises an equally prestigious lineup of guest speakers from the Army, the Department of War and the defense industrial base.
2026 Air and Space Summit
When: July 30
Where: TBA
The 2026 Air and Space Summit will address the growing strategic importance of the space domain in securing the nation. At the event, defense leaders will identify advanced technologies giving airmen and guardians an edge and examine the latest defense strategies designed to counter emerging global challenges.
Last year’s Air and Space Summit brought to the stage Maj. Gen. Christopher S. Povak, deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office. Frank Kendall, who served as the secretary of the Air Force until 2025, was present at the 2022 Air Force Summit and the 2023 Air Force Summit. This year will continue to serve as a forum for public and private sector innovators and decision makers shaping operations and warfighting in the air and space domains.
You can secure your seat for this critical event as early as today.
2026 Navy Summit
When: Aug. 27
Where: TBA
At the 2026 Navy Summit, senior naval leadership and defense executives will discuss the integration of autonomous systems, digital modernization and cyber resilience into maritime operations. Participants will gain insight into how the service balances readiness and resource management while pursuing advanced platforms and innovative investment strategies.
Carlos Del Toro, who served as the secretary of the Navy from 2021 through 2025, delivered the opening keynote at the 2022 Annual Navy Summit. You can expect the same high-caliber speakers and panelists at the 2026 Navy Summit.
You can register for the summit today.
2026 Intel Summit
When: Sept. 24
Where TBA
Intelligence community leaders will evaluate how AI, cyber capabilities, and secure data sharing are redefining mission success at the 2026 Intel Summit. This forum will provide attendees with updates on modernization priorities and insight into shifting demands within the intelligence sector, particularly as agencies navigate more constrained fiscal environments.
2026 FedCiv Summit
When: October 2026
Where: TBA
The 2026 FedCiv Summit, Potomac Officers Club’s first-ever summit for federal civilian agencies, will examine how organizations, such as the Department of Education, Department of Energy, and Department of Justice, are scaling artificial intelligence and modernizing infrastructure to meet urgent regulatory mandates.
Be part of the conversation. Sign up today.
2026 Homeland Security Summit
When: Nov. 12
Where: TBA
Last year’s Homeland Security Summit was all about the measures and capabilities implemented to counter the most pressing threats to the country, with speakers from across the Department of Homeland Security, including Kristi Noem, the eighth secretary of the DHS and a two-time Wash100 winner, taking the stage. The 2026 Homeland Security Summit is expected to build on last year’s discussions and explore the advanced and emerging technologies deployed across the nation to bolster U.S. homeland security.
2026 Healthcare Summit
When: December 2026
Where: TBA
Potomac Officers Club’s annual Healthcare Summit is an exploration of the technologies revolutionizing public healthcare, with speakers from agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services, the Defense Health Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs participating to deliver keynote speeches and panel discussions. This year’s edition of the event will be no different.
The 2026 Healthcare Summit will continue to identify the capabilities to ensure that every American receives the quality of care they deserve.
