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Making the most of OSAC Week 2026 (and where to find Factal)

Dave Clark
A cityscape is viewed through dark, weathered stone balusters in the foreground. Beyond the railing, dense green trees surround a narrow blue body of water, with the Washington Monument rising near the center-left and the domed U.S. Capitol visible in the distance to the right. Low civic and residential buildings extend across the horizon beneath a clear blue sky.

If you’re heading to D.C. for OSAC Week, you know the challenge. Between the Annual Briefing and the dozens of events around it, there are only so many hours in the day.

This will be my first OSAC Week on the ground, but my fifth helping Factal plan for it. Our team has learned some things along the way, and I have a few practical tips to help you make the most of the week. Plus, I’m sharing where you can find the Factal team if you want to compare notes, see what’s new or just say hello.

Where to find us

If you’re attending any of these events, look for us. You can also find the full list on our events page and in the weekly Benchmarker. 

Monday, November 16th

Tuesday, November 17th

Wednesday, November 18th

Thursday, November 19th

  • Hostage US Leadership Reception – We’re proud to support Hostage US, one of the 300+ NGOs we provide services for, in their continued work returning hostages to their families.

Meet with the Factal team

To all of our Factal members: If you have offices in the area or will be in town, your member success manager would love to see you in person. Please send them an email to arrange a time. 

If you haven’t seen Factal in the last few months, or are exploring new risk intelligence tools, email sales@factal.com and we’ll give you a live demo, showing what’s new and how we’re the verification standard in risk intelligence.

Tips to make the most of your OSAC week

A few things I’ve learned about the week from colleagues and planning over the last couple of years: 

  • Divide and compare notes – You can’t see everything, so don’t try. Split up with your team, then regroup to share what you learned.
  • Take notes – As Field Notes puts it, “I’m not writing it down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now.” If you see me, ask for a Factal pocket notebook, as writing by hand is one of the best levers to engage the mind – I’ll have some to give away throughout the week. And remember most of these talks are subject to Chatham House or similar rules.  
  • Meet someone new – The 2026 CSO Survey from our partners at The Clarity Factory found that “… teams need a much broader range of skills to ensure intelligence products are grounded in business concerns and communicated for impact.” The same goes for your network: the former lawyer, historian or journalist in the room may speak to your next idea. (That’s one reason I’m heading to the GSP and WiS Reception in hopes to connect with some new faces and those who I know virtually from the Global Security Briefing.)
  • Make time for old friends and colleagues – OSAC week is a rare chance to catch up in person. Personally, I’ll be tracking down our partners at Emergent Risk International. 
  • Pace yourself – It’s a great week, but we can’t be “on” every hour, so remember to take a walk, go for a run or grab a quiet meal.

See you in D.C.

Whether you’re comparing notes after a session or looking for a quick coffee between events, the Factal team and I would love to see you at OSAC. Don’t be a stranger and say hello!

Top photo: The gravesite of Pierre Charles L’Enfant / Arlington National Cemetery

What is Factal?

Trusted by many of the world’s largest companies and more than 300 humanitarian NGOs, Factal is verified risk intelligence and collaboration that brings clarity to an increasingly noisy and uncertain world.

Powered by a hybrid of advanced AI and experienced journalists, Factal detects early signals, verifies critical details and assesses the potential impact at the speed of social media. From physical incidents to geopolitical developments, Factal offers the most trusted, real-time risk intelligence on the market.

Factal is also home to the largest security and safety collaboration network in the private sector. Members securely share information with other members in proximity to the same incident, both on Factal.com and the Factal app.

Learn more at Factal.com.

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