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UID:1071@amcham.bg
DTSTART:20261015T000000Z
DTEND:20261015T033000Z
DTSTAMP:20261009T231018Z
URL:https://amcham.bg/events/amcham-ausa-defense-forum/
SUMMARY:AmCham AUSA Defense Forum
DESCRIPTION:\nThe American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria with the support
  of the US Commercial Service in Sofia and US Chamber of Commerce in Washi
 ngton DC cordially invite you to a\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDEFENSE FORUM\n\n\n\nThe
  Strategic Significance for European and Global Stability of the South-Eas
 tern Flank of NATO and the Black Sea\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nto take place on Octob
 er 14th\, 2026\, starting 4:00 pm\, at the National Press Club\, 529 14th 
 Street NW\, Washington\, DC 20045\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPROGRAM\n\n\n\n4:00 – 4
 :30 pm Welcome Coffee\n\n\n\n4:30 – 5:00 Opening Session:\n\n\n\n\nIvan 
 Mihaylov\, CEO\, American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria\n\n\n\n\n\nKey-n
 ote Address: Alexander Poulev\, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Econ
 omy\, Investment and Industry of the Republic of Bulgaria\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\
 n\n\n\n\n5:00 – 6:00 Discussion Panel\n\n\n\n\nJohn Neal\, Executive Dir
 ector\, Space Policy\, Cyber\, Space and National Security Division\, U.S.
  Chamber of Commerce\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPaul Pardew\, Senior Vice Presid
 ent for Acquisition\, Bid &amp\; Proposal at Ignium\nMaj. Gen (Ret) Pardew
  has 32 years of military experience providing leadership to organizations
  with a diverse portfolio of operations and procurements.&nbsp\; In his la
 st assignment\, he led the Army’s largest procurement organization of 6\
 ,000 acquisition professionals and an annual budget of $483M.&nbsp\;&nbsp\
 ; Under his leadership the organizations mission was to obligate and manag
 e more than $500B in Army procurements across a portfolio of global operat
 ions\, weapons systems\, modernization\, and installation support.&nbsp\; 
 He successfully led an evolution in contracting support that focused on de
 livering efficiencies\, and desired outputs.&nbsp\; This drove effectivene
 ss in the use of financial resources\, procurements\, and human resources.
 &nbsp\; Directly returning more than $9.1B to our Army in FY 20.&nbsp\; &n
 bsp\;\n\n\n\nHe is currently the Senior Vice President for Contracts with 
 Ignium.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnited States Department of Commerce\, invited\n\n\n\
 nThe Atlantic Council\, invited\n\n\n\nTopics:\n\n\n\n\nU.S./Eastern Europ
 e Defense and Security Strategic Cooperation. Regional Outlook.\n\n\n\nThe
  Bulgarian Defense Industry’s Critical Role in Regional and Global Secur
 ity – a NATO and US Ally Perspective\n\n\n\nThe Defense Industry within 
 the Priorities of the EU and NATO. \n\n\n\n\n6:00 – 7:30 pm Networking R
 eception&nbsp\;\n\n\n\nThe Forum is part of the program of a delegation of
  leading Bulgarian ammunition manufacturers\, defense producers and techno
 logy companies to Washington D.C.\n\n\n\nWhy attend:\n\n\n\n\nBulgaria has
  the largest artillery ordinance production capacity\n\n\n\n\nBulgaria is 
 the largest supplier with existing and growing production capacity that ca
 n meet the ongoing demand to support the war efforts of allies supported b
 y the US\n\n\n\n\nVetted NATO Offset / Industrial Cooperation &nbsp\;\n\n\
 n\n\nThe visiting companies will be the right fit for supply chain departm
 ents’ selection of local content withing their industrial cooperation co
 ntractual\, supply and aftermarket maintenance responsibilities\n\n\n\n\nA
 ccess to the Bulgarian Military Arms Modernization\n\n\n\n\nThe visiting c
 ompanies are a conduit to serve American defense contractors to participat
 e in ongoing arms modernization of the Bulgarian military with their tende
 r access\, as local contract bidders and local content vendors for industr
 ial cooperation and as system integrators.\n\n\n\n\nSupply Chain Capacity 
 to US Defense Contractors\n\n\n\n\nThe visiting companies can boost and co
 mplement the supply chain of US prime contractors and their first and seco
 nd tier vendors with available\, NATO approved\, IP conscious and non-Chin
 ese tooling\, machining\, casting\, parts and components delivery and soft
 ware development\n\n\n\n\nFDI / Investments in the US\n\n\n\n\nSome of the
  visiting companies are eyeing the US for locations to set up their footpr
 int with assembly and manufacturing under the Buy American Act and Made in
  USA standards\n\n\n\n\n
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://amcham.bg/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/261
 014-AmCham-AUSA-Defense-Forum-1200x400-Final-2.jpg
CATEGORIES:Amcham Events
LOCATION:National Press Club\, 529 14th Street NW\, Washington\, DC\, 20045
 \, United States
GEO:38.897038;-77.031704
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=529 14th Street NW\, Washin
 gton\, DC\, 20045\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=National Pres
 s Club:geo:38.897038,-77.031704
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