The Dayton Region Israel Trade Alliance, in partnership with Montgomery County Business Services and the Dayton Development Coalition, will present its annual Foreign Military Financing Program, via Zoom, 10 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, Oct. 28. The webinar’s aim is to help Dayton-area companies in aerospace, manufacturing, and defense industries learn to bid on products and materials for the Israel Ministry of Defense.

Participants will learn about the products and services the Israel Ministry of Defense purchases in the United States, how to register for the ministry’s e-commerce system to view opportunities, and will receive an overview of relevant regulations.

According to DRITA consultant Hadas Bar-Or, each year, the Israel Ministry of Defense uses security assistance provided by the United States to purchase more than $2 billion in products and services in the United States. Israel’s Ministry of Defense makes half of these purchases each year from U.S. businesses.

The objective of Israel’s Ministry of Defense, Bar-Or explained, “is to buy products that support Israel’s military ranging from socks and cots to helicopter rotors and gear boxes. Ohio companies, Dayton region included, have won millions of dollars in contracts in recent years.”

As part of the Zoom seminar, representatives from Israeli firm Ashot Ashkelon will discuss how they work directly with local companies to bid on foreign military financing-related work. Local businesses are able to schedule one-on-one sessions that day to discuss their products or services with Ashot Ashkelon.

To register for the free program, email Gwen Eberly at eberlyg@mcohio.org. Those unable to attend the event may sign up as vendors with the Israel Ministry of Defense at mission-ny.mod.gov.il.