2026 Conference & Expo

June 28 - 30, 2026

MGM Grand | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

AACE's 70th Anniversary Celebration

Technical Program Announced!

The wait is over — the full technical program schedule for the 70th AACE International Conference & Expo has just been announced!

From AI-powered project controls and quantitative risk analysis to delay claims, earned value management, and owner-centric frameworks, this year's lineup covers the full spectrum of total cost management — with more peer-reviewed presentations than ever before.

Sessions kick off Sunday, June 28 and span tracks including estimating, planning & scheduling, risk, contract dispute resolution, construction, and much more.

👉 View the Full Technical Program Schedule and start planning your ConEx experience today.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM

2026 Conference & Expo

In-Person Seminars

June 27 - 28

Data Analytics for Cost Engineering and Project Controls Professionals

Developing Human Skills for Effective Management

Don't Miss the 70th AACE International Conference & Expo!

This year's milestone event is heading to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, June 28–30, and it's shaping up to be the biggest yet. The 70th AACE International Conference & Expo features more peer-reviewed technical presentations than ever before, plus CEU opportunities and the chance to connect with total cost management professionals from around the world.

Arrive Early, Learn More

Make the most of your trip by joining one of two in-person continuing education seminars offered the weekend before the ConEx (Saturday–Sunday, June 27–28, 1.2 CEUs each):

Data Analytics for Cost Engineering and Project Controls Professionals — Instructor: Lance Stephenson, CCP FAACE Hon. Life

Developing Human Skills for Effective Management — Instructor: Shoshanna Fraizinger, CCP FAACE

Note: Seminars run concurrently, so you'll choose one. Seminar fees are separate from ConEx registration.

Save More, Stack Your Discounts

There are several ways to get the best rate on registration:

• Early bird savings: Members who register by May 28 receive the lowest rate — plus full technical program registrants get recordings of all technical sessions.
• Host hotel discount: Book your room at the MGM Grand first and receive a $100 discount code to apply at ConEx registration.
• Group discount: Bringing a team of five or more? Each registration saves $50. Email [email protected] for your group's discount code.

Need Help Making the Case to Attend?

AACE's Justification Toolkit has everything you need to get approval — from general tips and an ROI calculator to a customizable justification letter and visa invitation support. Head to the toolkit, tailor the materials to your role and organization, and make the ask with confidence.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Member Assistance Program

Conference & Expo Grants Are Now Open

AACE's Member Assistance Program is back! The program offers support with dues and education assistance for individual members in good standing. It exists to help members maintain their AACE membership and continue professional development during times of financial hardship, keeping them connected to the AACE community and its resources. Funds are limited, and the program continues at the discretion of the AACE Board of Directors, which designates a maximum annual award amount.

These grants cover meeting registration for AACE members who have volunteered for the association. Awards are subject to available funding, reviewed and approved by AACE staff. Selected recipients must confirm acceptance within seven days, or the grant may be offered to another applicant.

Eligibility:

• Current AACE member at time of application
• AACE volunteer service within the last five years
• Completed online application submitted before the deadline

Eligible Expenses:

• Conference registration only (travel, lodging, meals, and incidentals are not covered)

Lodging Requirement:

• Recipients must stay at the official conference host hotel. Recipients are responsible for booking and paying for their own accommodations.

Note: Only one education grant may be awarded to a member every five years.

MORE INFO & REGISTER

He joined AACE for "the wealth of resources and the opportunity to connect with professionals worldwide." Read his full member profile to learn more about what brought him to AACE and what he's looking forward to as part of the community.

READ MORE!

When asked what he likes most about being an AACE member, AbdulAziz Syed points to something many of us know well — "access to technical resources, recommended practices, and a global professional community that supports continuous learning and growth in cost and project controls." Curious what else drives his passion for the profession? Read his full member profile to find out.

READ MORE!

Free Webinar: What Happens When AI Runs the Project? A Vision for Project Controls

12 May 12:00 PM ET

Presenter: Greg Lawton, CEO, Nodes & Links

Most large infrastructure projects still finish late and over budget. Not because of a lack of skill or effort, but because the system has grown too complex for any human team to fully manage alone. Only 6% of megaprojects hit both their cost and schedule targets. That is not a people problem. It is a systems problem.

In this session, Greg Lawton, CEO of Nodes & Links, presents a forward-looking vision for what project controls and the PMO will look like as AI moves from assistant to operator. Drawing on data from over 21,000 projects and half a million hours of schedule analysis, Greg walks through a five-stage roadmap. From where most PMOs sit today, to a future where intelligent systems continuously sense, analyze, and act across schedules, costs, and risks.

Free for members and non-members, but registration is required.

MORE INFO & REGISTER

Free Webinar: Delays & Claims Analysis: Best Practices to Avoid Disputes

13 May 12:00 PM ET

Presenters: Michael Pink, CEO, SmartPM Technologies

and Michael Bennink, Managing Director at J.S. Held LLC

Free CEUs!

Construction delay claims are among the most contested issues facing projects today — yet many disputes stem from avoidable analytical failures and poor schedule data management. This webinar provides a practitioner-level walkthrough of the most widely used forensic delay analysis techniques, comparing their strengths and limitations in the context of real project conditions. Presenters will cover when and how to apply Contemporaneous Period / Windows Analysis, As-Planned vs. As-Built, and a hybrid Half-Step approach, with specific attention to how data quality drives method selection. Attendees will leave with practical tools to produce cleaner, more defensible analyses - and keep claims from becoming disputes.

Free for members and non-members, but registration is required. Attendees will earn 0.1 free CEUs.

MORE INFO & REGISTER

Free Webinar: Developing & Optimizing a Project Historical Database

19 May 11:00 AM ET

Presenter: Raymond Hagedoorn, Senior Cost Consultant CCE (DACE/ICECA), AVS

Free CEUs!

Project historical databases are a critical component of effective cost estimating, benchmarking, and capital decision-making. However, many organizations struggle to move beyond ad-hoc data collection toward structured, reliable systems that support Total Cost Management practices. This presentation will discuss the principles outlined in AACE Recommended Practice 114R-20, including database structure, data capture, normalization, and maturity development. Attendees will gain practical insight into how organizations can develop and optimize historical databases to improve estimate validation, benchmarking, and project performance analysis.

Free for members and non-members, but registration is required. Attendees will earn 0.1 free CEUs.

MORE INFO & REGISTER

Webinar: Spotlight on Recommended Practice 138R 25: Introduction to Life Cycle Cost Analysis

27 May 11:00 AM ET

Presenter: Larry Dysert, CCP CEP DRMP FAACE Hon. Life; Sam Kitchin, PSP

Host: Luis Terry, CEP PSP

Free CEUs!

Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is a comprehensive economic assessment method used to evaluate the total cost of owning, operating, maintaining, refurbishing, and disposing of an asset over its expected life span. LCCA extends beyond initial acquisition or construction costs to include all subsequent expenses, such as operation, maintenance, upgrades, and eventual disposal costs, as well as the potential savings or benefits over the asset's life. The primary purpose of LCCA is to assist decision-makers in choosing the most cost-effective option among different competing alternatives. By evaluating the total cost of ownership of a project, asset, or system over its entire lifespan, LCCA enables informed decision-making that balances initial investment costs with long-term operational, maintenance, and disposal costs.

Free for members and non-members, but registration is required. Attendees will earn 0.1 free CEUs.

MORE INFO & REGISTER

• Open Forum: Invisible Activities, Visible Risks: The Hidden Cost of Filtering Project Schedules
• Open Forum: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Planning & Scheduling: XER File Manipulation For Sharing

myAACE

Catch up on what AACE sections around the world have been up to — the April 2026 Section Bulletin is live and features news and highlights from the Houston Gulf Coast, New Zealand, Rocky Mountain, and Seattle sections. See what your colleagues have been up to and get inspired for what your own section can accomplish!

SECTION BULLETIN