Gathered Government, Military, and Small Business Executives
RESTON, VA, UNITED STATES, September 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Defense Leadership Forum (DLF) hosted the 2026 Small Business Government Contracting Summit this week in the Washington, DC area, assembling military and government officials, GovCon specialists, and small businesses from across the country. This national conference and expo aimed to connect small businesses with government and private sector organizations that can reinforce the foundation of America’s economy.
John Shultz, Acting Director of the new DoW Warfighting Investments, Resourcing, and Execution (WIRE) Office, delivered the Summit Opening Address. This office is actively working to significantly broaden the U.S. industrial supply chain to accommodate new DoW priorities.
The Summit Keynote Address was presented by Greg Justice, Associate Administrator of GSA’s Office of Small Business. Rear Admiral (Ret.) Nick Kalathas, Division Director of the GSA Acquisition Solutions Division, shared the latest updates on GSA acquisition services.
Subcontracting opportunities for small businesses were emphasized by Rita Brooks, SAIC’s Small Business Director. She organized a panel featuring small business directors from Boeing Defense, SoSi, and NTT DATA.
An overview of Iran and the Middle East, along with its impact on U.S. military contracting, was provided by Rear Admiral (Ret.) Brad Williamson, the 32nd Commandant of the Joint Forces Staff College.
The Summit took place at the Carahsoft Conference & Collaboration Center in Reston, Virginia. Carahsoft is a top provider of a wide array of IT solutions for clients across the U.S. and Canada, including the U.S. government. Michael McCalip, Vice President of Government Programs & Strategy at Carahsoft, offered welcoming remarks.
Multiple U.S. Department of War (DoW) agencies, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Veteran Small Business Coalition (NVSBC) supported the Summit. Major Summit Sponsors consisted of USFCR, CLEATUS, RADICL, A-LIGN, databrackets, and Espresso Labs. Neil McDonnell, CEO of the GovCon Chamber of Commerce, moderated the Summit.
The Defense Leadership Forum, a public service organization that unites Congressional leaders, Pentagon officials, military commanders, and business representatives to find the most effective solutions for defending the United States, organized the Summit. Over the past 16 years, thousands of military, government, and business leaders have taken part in DLF’s highly respected national conferences.
William Loiry
United States Defense Leadership Forum
+1 202-375-9587
william.loiry@usdlf.org
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