CALL FOR PAPERS AND PANEL PROPOSALS: Accelerating Warfighting Capabilities: NPS 23rd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium & Innovation Summit 

Date: 12 Sept - 18 Nov 2025
Posted by: Acquisition Research Program (ARP)
Location: Submit Proposals Online

Submissions are now open for papers and panels for the NPS 23rd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium & Innovation Summit, taking place May 6 & 7, 2026, in Monterey, California.  Sponsored by Acquisition Research Program (ARP), Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and Naval Postgraduate School Foundation (NPSF).  

This year, the Research Symposium is combined with an Innovation Summit under the overarching theme of Accelerating Warfighting Capabilities.   

The Research Symposium & Innovation Summit serves as a catalyst for meaningful progress and informed change in the field of defense acquisition. The event brings together academic researchers, acquisition professionals, and defense service leaders for two days of exploration, discovery, and dialogue intended to inform acquisition policy and modernization efforts. 

In keeping with recent executive orders and DOD memoranda, the goal of this dual event is to explore and promote innovative ways to enhance readiness, deter adversaries, and increase warfighting capabilities by reviving our defense industrial base, reforming our acquisition process, and rapidly fielding emerging technologies.  

We welcome papers and panels proposals that address these areas of concern, as well as any other topics related to accelerating warfighting capabilities in procurement, acquisition, requirements, test and evaluation, maritime dominance, space systems acquisition, contracting and commercial solutions, research and development, program management, acquisition workforce, industrial base and supply chain, emerging technologies, risk-taking and innovation, and technology transition, and readiness. 

Proposals are due by November 18, 2025. 

Visit the symposium website for topic suggestions and submission guidelines.