GovExec

The global defense market is amid the most significant structural changes since the end of the Cold War. The key catalysts are the experiences of the Ukraine War and the Persian Gulf conflict, the rise of software-defined, autonomous, and attritable systems, and acute munitions scarcity and supply-chain limitations and risk — all set against significant increases in global defense budgets. Together, these forces are rewriting what militaries buy, who they buy it from, and how quickly they expect capability to be successfully fielded. As the largest global buyer of defense products, the U.S. Department of War is responding by pushing both government and industry to accelerate and expand alternative acquisition pathways that reward speed, commercial practices, and demonstrable digital maturity over traditional program-of-record timelines and processes, while a new generation of market entrants is both catalyzing this change and simultaneously exploiting it.

In this discussion, the panel will examine these market changes through three traditional U.S. prime, and an international A&D company — to explore what will increasingly be required to meet customer expectations and to be commercially successful.

Join Us In-Person on Thursday, May 14 at 9:00 AM CDT

This regional event brings together state, local, and higher education (SLED) leaders to explore how modern cloud platforms and Agentic AI empower organizations to break down data silos and transform service delivery. Today, secure cloud systems act as autonomous agents that can independently execute complex workflows on behalf of residents, students, researchers, and public servants.

Through hands-on exercises, real-world use cases from leading municipalities, and insights from top research departments and universities, this event will prove that AI is a measurable driver of speed, reliability, and resilience. Attendees will discover how cross-sector collaboration and enterprise-grade AI can accelerate mission outcomes, strengthen cybersecurity, and build unprecedented public trust across civic and academic communities.

As cyber threats grow more sophisticated and attack surfaces continue to expand, public sector organizations are being asked to protect critical missions in an environment defined by constant change. Federal leaders are navigating a delicate balance, meeting compliance mandates while managing real-world risk, modernizing legacy systems, expanding cloud and hybrid environments, and advancing Zero Trust, all without slowing the mission. At the same time, agencies are exploring how artificial intelligence and autonomous capabilities can strengthen cyber defense while maintaining governance, public trust, and mission assurance. These decisions are unfolding as the pace of threats accelerates, complexity increases, and operational demands remain relentless.

ROCon: Public Sector brings senior federal and defense leaders together for a practitioner-led forum focused on operationalizing cyber risk management in support of mission success. The discussions center on how agencies are moving beyond static security models and compliance-heavy checklists toward continuous, risk-driven operations that evolve with the threat landscape. Public sector leaders will offer a candid look at how federal organizations are strengthening cyber resilience, aligning technical risk with business and mission outcomes, and building a more adaptable foundation for the future of public sector cyber operations.

Key themes include:

• Modernizing Governance: Rethinking authorization, continuous monitoring, and automated compliance to better align security with mission demands.
• Operationalizing Zero Trust: Advancing identity-centric security across diverse, hybrid mission environments.
• Applying AI with Intent: Using automation and autonomous capabilities to accelerate detection and response while preserving oversight and accountability.
• Simplifying the Attack Surface: Reducing technical debt and complexity to focus resources on protecting what matters most.

Protecting the U.S. research enterprise requires more than trust—it requires verification. Federal agencies and research institutions continue to rely primarily on self-reporting to disclose conflicts of interest. However, this good faith model fails against bad faith actors who actively conceal participation in Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs (MFTRPs). These programs strategically target the most productive and prestigious researchers, creating an outsized risk to U.S. scientific leadership and economic security. When reliance on disclosure fails, how can funding agencies prevent U.S. taxpayer-funded innovation from being exported to foreign adversaries?

Join Dr. Shirley Han, Head of Research Analytics at Digital Science, to learn how to shift your stance from reactive damage control to proactive risk identification. Attend this webinar to learn how to:

• Move beyond reliance on self-reporting: Understand why traditional web searches and self-disclosure forms cannot keep pace with sophisticated efforts to exploit the U.S. research enterprise.
• Proactively identify malign influence before a grant is awarded: Leverage global research data—from publication and patent acknowledgments to clinical trials—to uncover undisclosed conflicts of interest early in the cycle.
• Operationalize automated vetting: Integrate data-driven screening into your existing workflows to ensure rigorous compliance without stalling the speed of innovation.

As federal agencies continue evolving their workplace strategies, leaders are taking a closer look at how environments, technology, and workforce expectations shape day-to-day operations—and how those factors ultimately impact mission performance. There is a growing need to move beyond presence-based measures, to better understand how work actually gets done and what drives effective outcomes.

In this GovExec webcast, federal and industry leaders will explore practical strategies to modernize work environments—from improving hybrid collaboration experiences to standardizing technology. The discussion will focus on how agencies can create more seamless, effective workplaces that better support collaboration, flexibility, and mission delivery.

A full-day summit built for public sector technologists, security architects, and data leaders across federal civilian, defense, intelligence, and SLED — designed to move your data strategy forward.

• A modern, AI-ready telemetry architecture — Core principles for separating data from tools, adopting tiered storage, and building pipelines that support AI initiatives without sacrificing compliance posture.

• A Zero Trust-ready data layer — How telemetry control underpins zero trust across federal civilian, DoW, and SLED, from on-prem to FedRAMP-authorized cloud.

• Real-world modernization playbook — Anonymized agency examples of pipeline modernization, cost reduction, and FedRAMP navigation — with ROI models that survive budget scrutiny.

• Peer-driven insight — Spend the day with counterparts operating in classified environments, hybrid state infrastructures, and mission-critical defense programs.

In an era where cyber threats evolve at lightning speed, the public sector stands at a crossroads. Traditional security models, once deemed sufficient, now falter against sophisticated attacks targeting dispersed networks and cloud infrastructures. The 2026 Engage Public Sector Summit emerges as a pivotal gathering for visionaries committed to redefining government cybersecurity.

This summit will spotlight the transformative potential of integrated technologies such as Hybrid Mesh Firewalls and AI-driven email security. Participants will delve into strategies that prioritize agility, proactive defense, and unified management, moving beyond outdated frameworks. Join us to explore how these innovations can fortify the digital future of public services.

Stay for the networking reception in the expo area, where we'll host a fun Meet-and-Greet with a Washington Legend. It's the perfect way to wrap up the day, connect, and enjoy the experience.

As CMMC requirements reach full rollout for the Defense Industrial Base, the margin for error in data collection has vanished. For IT leaders, the challenge is twofold: maintaining rigorous security protocols without creating bureaucratic bottlenecks that stall the mission.

Join us for a deep dive into how FormAssembly provides a FedRAMP High and DoD IL4-authorized layer for your most sensitive workflows. We’ll explore how to handle any data, from Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), to sensitive citizen data with automated workflows in secure environments.

Learn to eliminate "compliance friction" by deploying a secure data collection ecosystem that integrates directly with your systems of record, ensuring your agency stays CMMC-ready and audit-proof.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategies for meeting the 2026 "Data as a National Asset" mandates.
• How to modernize legacy processes with secure, real-time data integration.
• Building a "Security First" workflow that doesn't sacrifice user accessibility.

Governments are redefining their service delivery and the customer experience through precision, performance, and AI-driven innovation. As agencies continue to improve services and optimize internal operations, the focus has shifted from defining CX to operationalizing it across every mission area.

This year’s Carahsoft GovExperience Summit: Advancing Government Service Delivery & CX will explore how artificial intelligence, automation, and data intelligence are transforming government service delivery, from citizen engagement to workforce optimization. Leaders from federal, defense, and state and local agencies will share how they’re using emerging technologies to improve responsiveness, strengthen trust, and accelerate mission outcomes.

Attendees will gain insights into AI integration, personalized digital services, data-informed decision-making, and secure, connected experiences that make government more efficient and human-centered. Join public-sector innovators and technology partners as they define what’s next and how accessibility, speed, and trust converge to deliver measurable impact for every constituent.

• Proven strategies for strengthening cyber resilience across federal environments 
• Guidance on enabling secure, compliant AI adoption in line with government standards 
• Insights into protecting data across hybrid, multi-cloud, and on-prem systems 
• Perspectives on supporting continuity of operations (COOP) and disaster recovery readiness 
• Direct access to experts, partners, and peers across the federal ecosystem

Join Us In-Person on Tuesday, July 28 at 9:00 AM EDT

This regional event brings together state, local, and higher education (SLED) leaders to explore how modern cloud platforms and Agentic AI empower organizations to break down data silos and transform service delivery. Today, secure cloud systems act as autonomous agents that can independently execute complex workflows on behalf of residents, students, researchers, and public servants.

Through hands-on exercises, real-world use cases from leading municipalities, and insights from top research departments and universities, this event will prove that AI is a measurable driver of speed, reliability, and resilience. Attendees will discover how cross-sector collaboration and enterprise-grade AI can accelerate mission outcomes, strengthen cybersecurity, and build unprecedented public trust across civic and academic communities.