Government Contracting Summit hosted by The Illinois APEX Accelerator

Join us for the 3rd Annual Government Contracting Summit hosted by The IL APEX Accelerator! This in-person event will be held at 7600 Roosevelt Rd in Forest Park, IL Network with industry professionals, learn about government contracting opportunities, and gain insights from experts in the field. Don't miss out on this valuable opportunity to grow your business and connect with key players in the government contracting space. Register now to secure your spot!

The 3rd Annual Government Contracting Summit hosted by The Illinois APEX Accelerator

March 17, 2026 in the Chicagoland area.

Get the Latest on New 2026 Small Business Contracting Opportunities!

The The 3rd Annual Government Contracting Summit hosted by The Illinois APEX Accelerator will provide you with the latest details on small business contracting opportunities with the the Federal, State and local municipal governments.

A very powerful part of the Summit is your opportunity to meet one-on-one during our Matchmaking and Reverse Matchmaking Sessions with procurement professionals from the federal government and major prime contractors.

Register now as a Sponsor, Exhibitor, or Attendee. Email us at CEO.APEX@Illinois.gov to receive details on special sponsor opportunities.

The 3rd Annual Government Contracting Summit hosted by The Illinois APEX Accelerator will provide contracting opportunities and details from:

• U.S. Department of Defense including all Branches of the Military (i.e Air Force, Army, Navy)
• U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, NASA, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Federal Aviation Administration along with other Civilian Federal Agencies
• Prime Contractors, including Walsh Federal, Caterpillar, Accenture, Deloitte, Parsons, Raytheon, General Dynamics along with others
• Small Business/Diversity Supplier Contracting with the State of Illinois
• Municipalities such as Cook County, Will County, Lake Count, DuPage County, City of Chicago among many others
• Financing for Small Businesses, including Public Financing from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Private Financing, and Special Defense Department Venture Capital Programs
• Innovation Hubs such as DEFENSEWERX, Fast Center at UIUC, Innovation DuPage and ARI

Summit Agenda

March 17, 2026

Registration 7:30am-12:00pm

Summit Kickoff- 8:30am-9:30am

Exhibitor Booth Opening 9:00am

Local Government Contracting Panel (TBD) - 9:30am-10:30am

Federal Contracting Lunch and Learn 1:00pm-2:00pm Banquet Room

Department of War (DOW) Government Contracting Panel (TBD) - 2:30pm-3:30pm

Reverse Matchmaking (TBD) 2-4pm

(Prior Sign up is required with your local APEX Center)

End of Summit 4:00pm

The Networking Reception is open to Exhibitors, Sponsors, Speakers, VIP Business Attendees, and Invited Guests.

*Schedule subject to change.