Your GovCon Events Guide

Your Guide for Government Contracting Events

Your success is at the heart of every GovCon event you attend, and with the right approach, these gatherings can unlock powerful growth opportunities. Whether it’s forging strategic partnerships or driving your business goals forward, the potential is yours to seize.

At Trident, we’re here to help. From setting clear goals to creating actionable plans and following up, we provide expert advice and proven strategies to ensure every event you attend delivers meaningful results.

INTRODUCING

Trident's Events Guide

What to Do Before the Event

Many people don’t realize that the bulk of event work is spent on pre-work (about 40% of your time and budget.) That includes registration, travel and lodging, setting up planning pages, coordinating with attendees, conducting attendee research, preparing marketing materials, reaching out to clients and colleagues to set up meetings, etc. These are the most important steps you can take to ensure an event doesn’t feel like a waste of time. Here are four steps to take before the event to ensure the event leads to business growth:

Create an event planning page (or collaboration site) that includes:
Conduct Attendee/Participant Research
Get Your Elevator Pitch Ready
Advertise your attendance

What to Do at the Event

Bring the company experts or leaders to the event to ensure potential customers are meeting with those most knowledgeable about the business and technology.
Bring note-takers, helpers, and event buddies (actual humans who can take notes and remind you of follow-up actions and help divide and conquer if you have to meet with multiple people at once). The event buddy system helps ensure you cover as much ground as possible. They can also help you connect with people you otherwise might not have a good connection with.
Post on social media during the event (if possible) – make yourself relevant in the field/industry
Take great notes. Who did you meet? What would you follow up with them about?
Schedule follow-up meetings then and there when possible. Or connect with them immediately on LinkedIn and connect virtually (Note: If you use the LinkedIn mobile app, be sure to download the unique QR code for your profile to make it even easier to connect). This helps you not only remember what you discussed but also keeps the conversation going.
Walk around and talk to people! This is an excellent opportunity to try and talk to people you DON’T know. You never know when the next connection could occur … it may be at the line or that free drink.
Attend happy hours and other networking events. We know events are often a get-in/get-out situation, but try to attend the after-hours events. The atmosphere is more relaxed, and you can have business and non-business-related conversations that could lead to more business. Find an event buddy (i.e., another work colleague) to be your BD wingman (or woman) at the networking events; it feels less awkward than standing there alone.

What to Do After the Event

Conduct an internal debrief
Start Follow-Up Campaign

And last but not least, don’t forget to have fun at the event! Sure, it’s work, but enjoy talking to people and learning new things.

Read our in-depth blog with insights and tips from our event coordinator.

Noteworthy Events for 2026 and 2027

*Updated Oct. 6, 2026

OCTOBER 2026

Oct. 12 - 14, 2026: AUSA (Washington, D.C.) - If you see our big metro ad, take a selfie then let us know and get $100 off a tech edit! Learn more and register here. (🌟 Look for Trident’s Jennifer Wineinger at this event! 🌟)
Oct. 21: Between Two FARS (Virtual) - Trident's Webinar - Register here.
Oct. 27 - 29, 2026: TechNet Indo-Pacific (Hawaii) - Learn more and register here. (🌟 Look for Trident’s Rebecca Wayland at this event! 🌟

NOVEMBER 2026

Nov. 4 - 6, 2026: SAME Federal Small Business Conference for the A/E/C Industry (Charlotte, NC) - Learn more and register here. Have AEC Questions? Connect with our expert, Sarah Bitner!
Nov. 12, 2026: NCMA Warfighter Acquisition Forum (Washington, DC) - Learn more and register here.
Nov. 15 - 17, 2026: GovRAMP Cyber Summit (San Antonio, TX) - Learn more and register here.
Nov. 16, 2026: Navy Procurement Outlook Summit (Reston, VA) - Learn more and register here.
Nov. 17, 2026: State of GovCon (Virtual) - Trident's Webinar - Register here.
Nov. 17, 2026: FedTalks 2026 (Washington, DC) - Learn more and register here.
Nov. 17 - 21, 2026: Defense Tech Week (Washington, DC) - Learn more and register here.
Nov. 18, 2026: Capture and Business Development Conference (Virtual) - Learn more and register here.
Nov. 18 - 19, 2026: CGP Fall Training Conference (Falls Church, VA) - Learn more and register here.
Nov. 30 - Dec. 3, 2026: NDIA I/ITSEC 2026 (Orlando, FL) - Learn more and register here.

DECEMBER 2026

Dec. 3, 2026: Defense Industry Update (Washington, DC) - Learn more and register here.
Dec. 10 - 11, 2026: ACT-IAC Imagine Nation ELC 2026 (Oxon Hill, MD) - Learn more and register here.

2027 Events

JANUARY 2027

Jan. 14, 2027: NDIA Cybersecurity Division Meeting (Arlington, VA) - Learn more and register here.
Jan. 20-21, 2027: 9th Military Aviation & Air Dominance Summit (Huntsville, AL) - Learn more and register here.
Jan. 25-27, 2027: GSA's FedFleet 2027 Training Event (Washington, D.C.) – Learn more and register here.

FEBURARY 2027

Feb. 1 - 3, 2027: National Small Business Conference (New Orleans) - Learn more and register here.
Feb. 2 - 3, 2027: NDIA 37^th Annual Special Operations Symposium (Washington, D.C.) - Learn more and register here.
Feb. 4, 2027: Defense R&D Summit (McLean, VA) - Learn more and register here.
Feb. 16 - 18, 2027: AFCEA West (San Diego, CA) - Learn more and register here.
Feb. 21 - 23, 2027: NCMA Nexus (San Antonio, TX) - Learn more and register here.
Feb. 26, 2027: GovCon Executive Leadership Summit (TBA) - Learn more and register here.

MARCH 2027

March 16 - 28, 2027: 2027 AUSA Global Force Symposium & Exposition (Huntsville, AL) - Learn more and register here.
March 17 - 18, 2027: AFCEA TechNet Pacific Northwest (Joint Base Lewis-McCord, WA) - Learn more and register here.
March 18, 2027: Artificial Intelligence Summit (TBA) - Learn more and register here.
March 22 - 24, 2027: NDIA's 2027 Undersea Warfare Spring Conference (San Diego) - Learn more and register here.

APRIL 2027

April 3 - 7: NAB Show 2027 (Las Vegas) - Learn more here.
April 4 - 7, 2027: Sea, Air, and Space Exposition (National Harbor, MD) - Learn more and register here. (🌟 Look for Trident at this event! 🌟)

MAY 2027

May 3 - 6, 2027: SOF Week (Tampa, FL) - Learn more and register here. (🌟 Look for Trident at this event! 🌟)
May 18 - 21, 2027: VETS 27 (New Orleans) - Learn more and register here. (🌟 Look for Trident at this event! 🌟)
May 18 - 21, 2027: BPC Anaheim (Anaheim, CA) - Learn more and register here.
May 18-20, 2027: 2027 Maritime Operations & Information Warfare Summit (Norfolk, VA) - Learn more here.

JUNE 2027

June 11, 2027: Government Procurement Conference (Washington, D.C.) - Learn more and register here.
June 23 - 24, 2027: Navy & Marine Corps Procurement Conference (Norfolk, VA) - Learn more and register here.
June 2027: NDIA Future Force Capabilities Conference (Las Vegas) - Learn more and register here.