The vendor is required to provide conferences event services include prepare and manage conference budget; prepare and manage conference timeline and planning committee calls; conference hotel/venue selection process; manage the “call for workshop proposals” process; manage conference presenters/speakers; manage the conference registration process; sponsor and exhibitor recruitment and management; conference marketing and promotion; program materials; onsite hotel, beverage, and food management; meetings held in conjunction with the conference; reporting and evaluation.
- Prepare and manage conference budget
• Create a line-item budget
• Pay invoices and reconcile monthly statements
• Receive and deposit revenue for sponsorships, exhibitor fees, and registration fees
• Provide a budget status update to agency monthly
- Prepare and manage conference timeline and planning committee calls
• Prepare a conference planning timeline
• Monitor key dates and activities
• Provide due dates for key activities during planning committee calls
• Schedule planning committee calls, draft agendas, and write a summary of the calls and next steps
• Co-facilitate planning committee calls with department staff
• Disseminate agendas, summaries, and other materials to planning committee
- Conference hotel/venue selection process
• Prepare a proposals to include sleeping rooms, meeting space requirements, and tentative schedule of events
• Send proposals to conference location
• Review proposals, conduct site visits, and provide compiled information for comparison to department
- Manage the “call for workshop proposals” process
• In consultation with department and the planning committee:
1. Review the call for workshop proposals process timeline
2. Revise instructions and proposal scoring mechanism
3. Create an online database for receiving and managing proposals
4. Facilitate communication to instruct proposal reviewers and provide them with access to the proposal database
5. Send compiled proposal reviewer scores and results to department for review
6. Upon department proposal review and selection, communicate acceptance or rejection to presenters
- Manage conference presenters/speakers
• Manage keynote speaker contracts and travel, as necessary
• Communicate with presenters throughout the planning process
• Assess presenter audio/visual needs and provide assistance onsite or virtually
• Assist presenters with registration
• Obtain presentations and make available to participants via the website
- Manage the conference registration process
• Create an online registration system
• Receive and process registration fee payments
• Draft and disseminate email updates to registrants prior to the conference
• Prepare nametags for onsite participants
• Prepare and provide official certificates of participation (electronic or printed)
• Maintain a record of continuing education hours (CEHS) for participants
• Staff the registration table onsite and throughout the conference
• Receive payments made onsite
- Sponsor and exhibitor recruitment and management
• Develop information with sponsorship packages and exhibitor fees
• Provide outreach to potential exhibitors
• Communicate regularly with exhibitors prior to the event
• Provide onsite liaison for exhibitors (nametags, onsite contact, table location, etc.)
- Conference marketing and promotion
• Design conference graphics and marketing materials in consultation with department and planning committee based on the theme
• Maintain and utilize conference website and social media sites to promote conference
• Market the conference to previous contact lists and others based on recommendations from department and planning committee
- Program materials
• Obtain bids for conference promotional item(s) suggested by department and planning committee
• Create a conference program (electronic and/or print) guide to include detailed conference schedule, workshop details, meeting room assignments, exhibitor list, etc.
- Onsite hotel, beverage, and food management
• Coordinate and manage meeting space, security, a/v needs, and food and beverage requirements with the hotel/venue prior to and during the event
• Manage all aspects of the conference onsite
- Meetings held in conjunction with the conference
• Work with department to reserve meeting space, a/v needs, and food and beverage.
- Contract Period/Term: 5 years
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: May 5, 2025