By Tom Naphor, click to visit my profile.

Why Small Businesses in Defense Contracting must attend AUSA 2026

Event Dates: 12 – 14 October 2026

Location: Walter E Washington Convention Center, Washington DC

The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition is the premier land power exposition and professional development forum in North America—and the must-attend event for anyone involved in the defense sector.

With over 40,000 attendees, 750+ exhibits, and representatives from over 100 countries, this three-day event is where the global defense community converges to shape the future of national security.

Held in downtown Washington DC, the AUSA Annual Meeting is more than just a trade show—it’s a strategic platform that connects military leaders, industry innovators, policymakers, and international delegations.

Attendees gain exclusive insights into U.S. Army priorities, explore cutting-edge technologies on the exhibit floor, and engage in high-impact networking with key decision makers, strategic partners, and industry influencers.

OK, the conference is big, but why should I attend as a small business:

AUSA 2026 will help small business government contractors better determine Army mission needs, understand acquisition changes, meet buyers and partners, and ultimately improve solutions to deliver to the Army.   

During the event, the Army Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) will be hosting a special multi-day session on Tuesday and Wednesday that will be entirely focused on Small Business Contractors.

The Army Small Business Seminar, which will be held on Tuesday, October 13th is designed to:

• Provide small businesses with a series of educational sessions to increase knowledge of doing business with the Department of War (DOW) and other Federal Agencies
• The seminars will share small business priorities, panels discussing business opportunities, and best practices to help strengthen the small business industrial base

During the small business seminar, multiple sessions are planned throughout the day, including:

• Updates from the Army OSBP program director
• Latest information on priorities from SBA office of government contracting and business development director
• Current efforts underway to help expand the defense industrial base
• Discussion on cyber resources available for small businesses via project spectrum
• Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAE) fireside chats on Portfolio Executive priorities and opportunities
• A panel discussion on priorities and opportunities for small business innovation programs: Army FUZE (mission to ignite innovation and spark transformative change) and PIT (pathway for innovation and technology)
• Current and Pending Legislative and Regulatory Updates from the SBA that affect SBA regulations and government contracting

The small business matchmaking session, to be held on Wednesday, October 14th, offers a unique opportunity for small businesses to connect with Army and Department of War procurement officials, prime contractors, and other Federal agencies for short, one-on-one meetings.

At AUSA, there is a matchmaking Help Desk and a match synergy platform available for Small Businesses to register in advance of the event. It is recommended to register on match synergy in advance of the event.

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Requirements to Attend Small Business Matchmaking

Basic Requirements

• Your business must be a U.S.-based business. International companies are now allowed
• Your business must be registered in SAM.gov

AUSA Registration

• You must first register for AUSA 2026 to access matchmaking.
• Link to Registration Information
• Select that you are interested in matchmaking.

Create a MatchSynergy Account

• Create an account in MatchSynergy to schedule your appointments at https://matchsynergy.net/**** 

One Additional Tip:

With over 750+ exhibitors spread across 5 conference halls in 2 inside and one outside location, it is highly recommended for attendees to download the AUSA 2026 Conference mobile app to help you more efficiently navigate the event.  The mobile app will help you much more efficiently locate exhibitors, upcoming roundtable, panel discussions, seminars, and keynote sessions planned throughout the event.

Upon completing your registration, you can also share on social media (linked-in) that your company is registered and will be in attendance.

Have fun, enjoy the conference, and hopefully we will meet up at some point during the event.

#AUSA2026

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