Symposium to focus on strengthening the industrial base; matchmaking signups open May 28

Defense industry executives, small-business owners and military logisticians will gather in Columbus, Ohio, next week for the Defense Logistics Agency’s annual Supply Chain Alliance Symposium and Exhibition, a two-day forum centered on bolstering the defense industrial base and speeding support to U.S. forces.

Set for June 2-3 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, this year’s program carries the theme “Deliver Readiness, Build Capabilities and Enhance Logistics Deterrence.” Organizers say the agenda is designed to tighten ties among DLA, industry and the joint force as the military adapts to contested logistics and modernizes acquisition.

The Honorable Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, will open the event’s main stage June 2 with a fireside chat alongside DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly. According to the program, Duffey’s portfolio spans acquisition, logistics, installation management, operational energy, nuclear deterrence and the defense industrial base. He previously served as program associate director for national security at the Office of Management and Budget, overseeing a national security budget exceeding $1 trillion.

Additional speakers include Army Lt. Gen. Gavin Lawrence, deputy director of Army Materiel Command; Stephen D. Gray, director of the Air Force Sustainment Center’s 448th Supply Chain Management Wing; Allan Day, vice president of logistics and sustainment for Salesforce; and Joseph Zeis, Aerospace and Defense Advisor to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. Welcome remarks are scheduled from DLA Weapons Support (Columbus) Commander Navy Rear Adm. Julie Treanor on June 2, with DLA Weapons Support (Richmond) Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Launey offering opening comments June 3.

Beyond plenary sessions, the symposium will emphasize practical engagement between government and industry. The exhibition floor will feature more than 95 organizations, a live contracting help desk, and the return of the Knowledge Bar—short, informal talks that connect attendees directly with DLA leaders.

Knowledge Bar highlights on June 2 include:
– Rebuilding the National Defense Stockpile with DLA Director of Acquisition Matthew Beebe and DLA Strategic Materials Administrator Eric Mata (9:45–10:15 a.m.).
– Transformation and DLA Weapons Support with Rear Adm. Julie Treanor and Brig. Gen. Patrick Launey (10:15–10:45 a.m.).
– Recover Critical Materials with DLA Disposition Services Director Michael Cannon (10:45–11:15 a.m.).
– Understanding DLA Troop Support’s Four Supply Chains with Deputy Commander Christopher Mosher and Acquisition Executive William Kenny (2:35–3:05 p.m.).
– Enhance Efficiency, Expedite Payments, Deliver Material to the Warfighter with DLA Distribution Acting Deputy Commander Joseph Faris (3:05–3:45 p.m.).

On June 3, sessions include Partnering with Industry to Improve Readiness Performance with DLA Logistics Operations Director Army Maj. Gen. Dave Sanford (9:50–10:20 a.m.); End-to-End Quality Management & Facility Sustainment at DLA Energy with Navy Capt. William Jakubowicz and DLA Chemist Christopher Garduno (10:20–10:50 a.m.); and IT Strategy: Readiness Through Innovation with DLA Chief Information Officer Adarryl Roberts (12:45–1:15 p.m.).

Small businesses will find multiple entry points into the defense marketplace. The DLA Office of Small Business Programs will host a Small Business Matchmaking session June 2 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., offering eight-minute, one-on-one meetings with DLA and prime contractors. Slots are first-come, first-served, with registration opening May 28 on the NDIA Matchmaking website.

A slate of breakout sessions across both days will provide detailed guidance on doing business with DLA’s supply chains and on accelerating delivery to the warfighter. Topics range from shipping practices that speed payment and improve readiness, to technologies driving research-and-development transitions from pilot to production. Other sessions will examine the DLA Industrial Capability and Warstopper program and Defense Priorities and Allocations System guidance for industry partners; circular-economy approaches to recovering critical minerals and rare earth elements; and the Enhanced Joint Certification Program for companies seeking access to controlled technical data.

Additional breakouts target nuts-and-bolts execution, including a deep dive on DLA packaging requirements; a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification overview for contractors and subcontractors; and a discussion of risks tied to critical materials—such as export bans, market flooding and foreign stockpiling—and how DLA Strategic Materials mitigates them through the National Defense Stockpile and research and development.

Suppliers will also have the chance to pose questions directly to leaders who manage Aviation, Land and Maritime supply chains during an “Ask a Director of Supplier Operations” session. For new entrants, DLA’s Office of Small Business Programs will walk through its Supplier Pathway Program, a step-by-step approach to navigating defense contracting.

Financial and risk insights round out the agenda. Leaders from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Columbus will brief on the new Industrial Base Pay model and its implications for the defense industrial base, while DLA Mission Assurance officials will outline how the agency is quantifying supply chain risk to guide mitigation strategies.

With structured networking, hands-on clinics, and a concentration of acquisition and logistics decision-makers, organizers bill the gathering as a timely forum for strengthening the industrial base and improving materiel readiness across the force.