Conference Initiation:
Sponsorship, MoU’s, Contracts, Requirements &
Registering an IEEE Conference
IEEE Panel of Conference Organizers (POCO)
21 July 2011
Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Kevin Hanft
Kevin Uherek
Topics
Benefits of Registering
IEEE Sponsorship
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Contracts
Registering a Conference
Conference Approval
Tools and Services
Conference Initiation
Today’s Topics
•
•
Benefits of Registration
Understanding IEEE Sponsorship
– What does sponsorship include
– Types of sponsorship
– Identifying sponsors
•
•
Conference registration process
Additional resources and tools available to organizers
Conference Initiation

Benefits of Registering Your Conference with IEEE
Once approved, conferences are eligible:
• Utilize IEEE brand
• Participate in:
– IEEE Conference Search
– IEEE Call for Papers
•
•
•
To apply for IEEE Conference Publication Program
Insurance Liability coverage (Financial sponsorship)
Access to many valuable free organizer services
Conference Initiation
Getting Started
•
•
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Define Conference Theme & Topics
Determine location & venue
Identify potential sponsors
Conference Initiation
Getting started with IEEE
• Finalize IEEE Sponsorship
• Appoint Committee Chairs
• Submit a Conference Information Schedule
– Committee List
•
Complete Memorandum of Understanding (if needed)
– Financial Sponsorship
– Technical Sponsorship
•
Notify local sections or societies that you are holding
a conference in their area or field of interest
IEEE Sponsorship
To qualify as an “IEEE conference”, it must
be sponsored by at least one IEEE OU.
• Sponsorship refers to the roles and
accountabilities of an IEEE organizational
unit (OU) for a conference:
•
– Financial
– Technical
– Administrative
– Publicity
Types of IEEE Sponsorship
FINANCIAL
• Sole
sponsorship
- 100% Financial
• Co-sponsorship
- Less than 100%
Financial
NON-FINANCIAL
• Technical cosponsorship /
Technical
cooperation
- 0% Financial involvement
Obtaining IEEE Sponsorship
www.ieee.org/societies_communities/index.html
Apply for and obtain sponsorship directly with
appropriate IEEE organizational units (OUs):
• Technical
•
Communities
• Societies
• Technical Councils
• Technical Committees
Geographic
Organizational Units
• Regions
• Sections
• Chapters
• Student Branches
• Affinity groups
Societies, Councils and
Technical Communities
www.ieee.org/societies_communities/index.html
Societies, Councils and Technical
Communities
Societies, Councils and Technical
Communities
Geographic Organizational Units
(Regions/Sections/Chapters)
Geographic Organizational Units
(Regions/Sections/Chapters)
www.ieee.org/societies_communities/geo_activities/regional_world_map.html
Geographic Organizational Units
(Regions/Sections/Chapters)
Geographic Organizational Units
(Regions/Sections/Chapters)
Geographic Organizational
Units(Regions/Sections/Chapters)
Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU)
•
What is a MOU?
– A written business agreement between the entities
involved in organizing the conference which
summarizes their relationship.
•
Question:
– Some areas in the world may not be familiar with or
use a MOU when agreeing to do business with
another entity. Is this the case where you live?
Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU)
•
Why is it of value to have them completed?
– Clearly defines what is expected from each entity
– Can greatly reduce or eliminate misunderstandings
– Helps protect IEEE’s status as a not-for-profit
organization in the United States
– Helps maintain proper usage of the IEEE Brand
Putting a MOU together
•
First, determine Financial and Technical sponsors
– Financial sponsor = An entity that has significant
involvement in the technical, financial, publicity and
administrative areas of the conference.
– Technical sponsor = An entity that has direct and
substantial involvement in the organization of the
technical program. That entity has no financial
involvement in the conference.
Financial sponsor:
Further clarification
•
•
When an entity simply provides funds to the event
it should not be listed on the Conference
Information schedule or MOU as a Financial
sponsor.
An entity that simply provides funds to an event
but not responsible for any loss or receiving any of
the surplus is a Financial contributor or Financial
supporter.
What type of MOU is needed?
•
•
IEEE provides a number of templates to cover a
Financial sponsor relationship or Technical sponsor
relationship.
The MOU templates that IEEE provides assist with
outlining the agreements between entities involved
and provide necessary clauses.
http://www.ieee.org/conferences_events/conferences/organizers/mou.html
23
DETERMINING CONTRACT VALUE
(IEEE defines contract value as LIABILITY)
Value = Total cost of service in a contract
Hotel Contracts
cost of room nights blocked
food and beverage commitment
+ meeting room rental
The total amount of money you commit to spend
at the hotel
Convention Centers
Total cost to rent the space outlined in the licensing agreement
Other: Audio Visual (AV), Tours, Transportation, Security, Exhibition
Decorator, Meeting Management Company, Professional Conference
Organizer, Destination Management Company, etc.
The cost of service agreed to in the contract.
REGISTRATION CONTRACT VALUE
(services provided by Management Companies and PCOs*)
Value without RISK
When Registration income is DIRECLTY deposited into the Conference bank
account
Value = The cost of service agreed to in contract.
Value with RISK
When Registration income is held in the vendor’s account or the vendor has
access to conference funds, this is considered RISK.
Value = The cost of service agreed to in contract + estimated amount of RISK
(example on next slide)
*Professional Conference Organizers
Registration Contract Value (example)
3 pieces of information are needed:
Cost of service (from the Contract)
Estimated # of attendees (from Contract & on Budget)
Registration income (from Budget)
Value
Equation:
The cost of the service x # of attendees
+ Risk (budgeted registration income)
Value
Example:
$19.00 x 300 attendees
+ $150,000 budgeted income
$155,700 (Total Value of Contract)
5,700
Registering a
Conference With IEEE
•
Complete an ‘Information Schedule’ to
start the process.
– Accessed via a webform located on the
Conference Organizers’ webpage
•
Captures critical details and facts required
before submission is permitted.
Conference Information Schedule
www.ieee.org/conferences_events/conferences/organizers/required_documentation.html
Conference Information Schedule
www.ieee.org/conferences_events/conferences/organizers/index.html?WT.mc_id=rfm_conf
Conference Information
Schedule
Conference Information
Schedule
Conference Information
Schedule
Conference Information
Schedule
Conference Information
Schedule
Conference Information
Schedule
Conference Information
Schedule
What Happens After You
Submit Your Conference?
Conference Business Services Team will:
•
•
•
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•
•
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Review for accuracy and completeness.
Identify duplicate submissions.
Research conference history for consistency.
Confirm sponsorship approval.
Ensure proper usage of IEEE brand and logo.
Contact you regarding missing or unclear data.
Coordinate with IEEE Staff regarding MoU.
Assign unique Conference record number.
Conference Approval
•
Send acknowledgement and instructions:
• confirm next steps for organizers
• links to support tools
Update database to list your conference in
Call for Papers and Conference Search.
• File Committee List to start insurance
coverage (Financial Sponsorship)
•
IEEE Conference Search
www.ieee.org/conferences_events/index.html#sect1
Call for Papers
www.ieee.org/portal/pages/iportals/conferences/callforpapers/index.html
Tools and Services
Conference Email Alias
•
•
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Simplifies conference communications
Multiple aliases per conference permitted
Easy to set up
E-notice
•
Email distribution service for member communications
– Society, Region, Section, Student Branch, Chapter
•
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Organization approval required
Opt-out mechanism
Tools and Services
www.ieee.org/about/toolkit/index.html
Master Brand Usage - IEEE Brand Identity Toolkit:
Basic usage rules for all corporate identity elements
• Tips to help creative effective communications while
strengthening the IEEE brand
•
Mar-com Templates –
•
Customizable documents and templates that can be
tailored to fit your conference needs.
Tools and Services
Web Templates
Basic information architecture/sitemaps and designs that
allow for great customization
– 3 site types
– 3 style options for each
– 7 starter pages within each style
• Available as
•
– a collection of HTML pages and related files
– WordPress themes
•
Implementation and maintenance requires some level of
technical ability and support infrastructure.
Tools and Services
Entity Web Hosting
A service for IEEE entities who want to develop, create and
maintain their own web site on an IEEE host.
• Conferences are responsible for their content, its
maintenance and its conformance to IEEE policy.
• HTML and WordPress formats
•
Tools and Services
IEEE Communications Channels
The Institute /The Institute Online
IEEE.org homepage
Newsletters - Leadership Wire / MGA Scoop / Society
Sentinel / Standards
• MyIEEE: Community Desktop
•
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Survey Tool
Gather feedback from a simple to use on-line survey
• Customizable from a library of questions
• Confidential report, with analysis from a research
professional
•
Still have questions? We are
always here to assist you!
Conference Business Services
Phone: + 1 732 562 3878
Conference-services@ieee.org
IEEE Conference: Checklist & Timeline
www.ieee.org/documents/30012586.pdf