NAI Region 6 | South Central

 NAI Region VI Conference Planning Guide 2020 EditionContentsIntroduction...........................................................................3The Conference Mission and Goals.....................................4The Conference Identity...................................................... 5The Time and The Place.......................................................6Management and Your Conference......................................8Promoting the Conference................................................... 9Budgets and Funding.......................................................... 10The Conference Committee................................................ 14Logistics....................................................................19Registration...............................................................24 Programs………........................................................27Pre-Conference Workshops......................................29 Field Trips..................................................................30Hospitality..................................................................34Interp Olympics………………………………………...36Volunteers.................................................................36After the Conference............................................................37Appendices:Timeline for the Conference .....................................39Natl.& Region 6 Contacts; Conf. Sites & Schedule...42Sample Volunteer Initial Email and Confirmation......43Request for Proposals for Hotels ……………………46Hotel Evaluation Form…………………………….......53 Editor’s Note, January, 2020: This guide has been revised from the original created by the 2005 Workshop Planning Committee in Arkansas. We want to recognize the time and effort that committee put into creating the first guide. While much has changed in the past 15 years, we continue the tradition of providing our members with an excellent annual training and networking experience within Region 6. We hope this revision, which is aligned with the guidelines for the National Conference, will be even more useful to future planning committees.Another change you will note is that all references to this as a workshop have been changed to conference, which aligns better with this event and the actual definition of a conference, as well as with the National Conference held typically each November.Chris Pistole, 2016 Co-Chair for Springfield, MO, out-going Dep. Director & lead editorLisa Cole, 2018 Co-Chair for Grapevine, TXJay Schneider, 2017 Committee for Rogers, AR & Region 6 DirectorIntroduction:So you have volunteered to be on the conference planning committee for an upcoming regional conference! As you look at the calendar it may seem like you have all sorts of time to prepare but in fact, the clock is ticking. There are many tasks to be completed and there never seems to be enough time to do them.First of all, be prepared for a lot of work. The conference generates a large quantity of files and email, so setting up a committee structure with clear lines of communication is necessary. This will be covered in the conference committee section.Second, you have to be flexible. Everyone on the conference committee is human, so changes are inevitable in your jobs and personal lives. Having a strong plan in place is imperative to allow for transitions. Hopefully this guide will help to take away some of the apprehension. This guide is not the final word by any means - it is a collection of suggestions and ideas. There is no “one-size-fits-all” in how you structure the conference, as each committee is different and adds their own “flavor” to the conference. This is what makes each conference a delightful and filling “banquet,” so don’t lose your unique “flavor” while still maintaining traditional “dishes” that members love, along with a standard of excellence!Good luck and congratulations on the opportunity to show our best at the Region 6 Conference! You have a big task in front of you, but the reward is all the smiling faces of your fellow interpreters at the conference.The Conference Mission:The mission of the Conference Committee is:To provide an enjoyable, educational conference environment that promotes interaction among the attendees, is cost effective and within the restrictions of the region and the mission of NAI.Think mission-minded. This will be the first step in having a good plan and a good plan is what will make your workshop run smoothly.Goals of the Conference:? Have a successful event measured by an evaluation so that participants leave with technical knowledge or skills, new ideas, inspiration, and the desire to attend future conferences.? Provide an affordable training event accessible to both students and professionals.? Give participants the opportunity to experience prominent cultural and natural features in and near the conference venue through special events, programs, and off-site sessions.? Permit a broad range of high-quality presentations to be given primarily by volunteers. All papers will be subject to selection by a program committee review process.? Seek a balance between educational content and networking events.? Seek, through promotions, attendance of 100-200 people, depending on the location.? Increase membership in NAI and Region 6.? Through conference sessions, address matters of regional and national concern and include a diverse range of topics to interest different kinds of NAI members (natural history, cultural history, interpretive site management) and include both demonstrations of skills and techniques, and examples of successful programs.? Strive for gender and ethnic balance among keynote and other session presenters.? Budget to cover all costs of the conference and make $1,000 to $2,000 in revenue.The Conference Identity:The title for the conference will be “NAI Region VI (or 6) Conference” and all promotional materials will use this term. For many years the event was called a workshop, but the new term should be encouraged and used and the use of workshop should be discouraged except for hands-on, multiple hour experiences before the conference. These sessions should be called “pre-conference workshops”.From the beginning you should work to develop an identity for the conference. This is the one, all encompassing thing that will be taken home by the attendees. It should consist of a theme and also a logo.Theme DevelopmentEvery conference should have a theme. Themes give direction and definition not only to the committee but to the attendees. A good theme statement should answer "why." Sam Ham gave three steps to developing themes in his book "Environmental Interpretation." His questions take a broad topic and narrow it to the theme statement. Adapted to our context they are:1. Generally our conference will be about...2. Specifically our conference will concentrate on...3. What we want an attendee to take away from our conference is...Once you have created your theme then integration of it into the conference is needed. What good is a theme if no one knows it? Think of ways to promote the theme, then implement them as appropriate.The LogoMuch less important than the theme, but essential to the identity, is the logo. A logo can be used to represent the theme and the site. Development will take time, but it should be done in time to use on the registration materials, the website, and with social media.How you go about creating the logo is up to you. It could be simple or it could be intricate. Chances are there is someone on your committee with artistic talent to help with the development. You should plan on the logo going through several revisions and phases. Don't settle on the logo until it graphically "speaks" for your workshop.The Time and the PlaceWhen is the perfect time to have the conference? Well, the fact is, there is no best time for everyone. No matter when you set your conference dates, there will always be people who cannot come. So set your dates and don't second guess yourself.MonthFebruary and March are the traditional two months for this conference. Any later and you're into spring, any earlier and you have weather and holiday considerations. In the past, the conference has occurred between mid-February and early March. Later in March can interfere with Spring Break, which is a time when many members are extremely busy.Time of the weekTraditionally we have had our conference on Sunday-Wednesday, but this is not a rule. Several other regions have different days when conferences are scheduled. Experimenting with the days of the week is always possible, but would need to be advertised well in advance.Site considerationsSo where is the best place to have the conference? There are many elements that go into a great conference - and there are just as many elements that go into a good site. But no matter how you slice it, it seems that all those elements can be expressed in three broad categories: access, services and space.Access is important on several levels. You must consider access to amenities, access for field trips, pre-conference workshops and the geography of the region itself. It may be helpful to look from the viewpoint of the members. A good choice may be a site that is centrally located in the region, along a major highway and with an airport nearby, and with enough activities to satisfy the diverse needs of our membership. You will be defining the scope of the workshop by the access your site has to transportation hubs, interpretive sites, dining and shopping areas.Services are a factor as well. The site must be able to support the needs of up to 200 people for 3-4 days. It should also have the facilities to support full ADA accessibility at the conference. You need to consider what the hotel can provide in food support as well as hospitality for the event. Is the staff friendly? What about the sales staff? They will be the ones that your logistics team must work with.Space is the last consideration. Again, does the site have space for up to 200 people? Can it provide the breakout rooms and the banquet areas needed? Have you considered greenspace for sessions? Some sessions need outdoor areas to hold programs in. Is your outdoor area a park or a parking lot? By looking at sites from the viewpoints of these three categories, you should be able to choose a site that meets the conference needs.The HotelThis element of your site is arguably the most important. It is often one of the most powerful memories (unfortunately) the attendees have of the conference. Choosing wisely can make a mediocre site shine, choosing poorly can tarnish even the greatest site's polish.There is no perfect hotel. All will have faults - the trick is minimizing them. One way to minimize the faults is to have a clear definition of what your conference should be before you hotel shop. Each hotel will want some specifics - date, estimated number of guests, the number of meals they will cater, breakout rooms needed and extra spaces. Having this in hand when you talk to the sales staff of a hotel is a must to generate a reasonably accurate estimate. Historically, our needs for the hotel have been as follows:? 100-200 attending (120-150 average for the last few years)? Three breakout (concurrent session) rooms, able to handle 50-70 each, or twolarge and one smaller. You might consider setting up the rooms in the followingway- one theater/lecture style, one with lots of tables for crafts, and one for noisy,active sessions. ? Hospitality Suite? Exhibit Space? Banquet room? Meals- to your conference specificationsThe size of the hotel is another factor in the conference. Too big, and you run the risk of multiple conferences taking place, confusion among the attendees, and a stretched or busy hotel staff. If the hotel is too small, then it might be strained to cope with the needs of the conference.To help your committee solicit and evaluate the sites you’re considering, you may want to use the Request for Proposals (RFP) and evaluation forms included in the appendix section. Hotel staff will try and sell you a number of items, some that you might not need. It is important to define your needs in order to weed out the extras that any good hotel sales staff will try to push.Management of the ConferenceThere are multiple ways to run a conference, but everyone can agree that the most memorable are the ones that ran smoothly. To have a smooth running conference you need plenty of pre-planning, but also good management skills. Management of the conference is carried out by the conference chair. Management by objectives is the most obvious and best way to run the conference. Set objectives must be three things: time referenced, attainable and measurable. An example of an objective: Contact and get a returned contract on a musical act three weeks from now (by December 1) for the Awards Banquet Dance.1. Time Referenced: by December 12. Attainable: three weeks to accomplish this objective3. Measurable: this objective is complete when the contract is returnedSound simple? You would be amazed how easy it is to say "would you get this done?" and then watch it not happen. By lining out the objective you are not only doing yourself a favor, you are helping the sub-committee. Just like the real world, your subcommittees will be made up of many different types of people. Some will procrastinate; some will do things right away. Some will have legitimate reasons for not getting things done. Giving objectives will at least help you track the progression of the conference and identify areas that need help.Don't be afraid to delegate! Even on a small conference, there are innumerable things that have to be completed. Having clear definitions for the subcommittees is imperative. Remember your sub-committee chairs, they are there to share the burden. Also avoid micromanaging. The worst way to run the conference is to think "I can do it better and faster myself.” This is a classic trap. Instead of trying to get it all done yourself you should be looking to assist the subcommittees where needed. Every conference should also work under the span of control. Countless studies have proven that 3-7 people are all one manager can generally handle. The most accepted ratio is 5:1. When setting up your subcommittees, don't try to exceed this span. You will be sorry when the conference begins and you are pulled in multiple directions at once.A strong manager will use a variety of managerial or leadership styles to accomplish the conference mission. Most behavioral scientists and management theorists recognize four major styles. They are directive, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented leadership.A directive leader is going to tell people exactly what they are going to do and then provide guidance. It could be described as "Do this now, this way." This style is beneficial when the roles of people being managed are not clearly defined. Directive leadership might be used at times with volunteers during the conference. A supportive leader thinks of subordinates as equals and seeks to maintain group morale and cohesiveness rather than being task oriented. A supportive style example would be "You doing this is helping us all." This works best when everyone knows what their roles are and requires little supervision.The participative leader will consult with others and consider their input carefully before making a decision. This would be described as "How do you think we should do this?" This is extremely important in the planning phase of the conference. Everyone should be getting a say. Remember that this does not mean that decisions can be foiled off - either you must decide or the committee as a majority must come to a consensus. An achievement-oriented leader will set challenging goals and then try to motivate others to aspire to those goals as if they were their own. Think of this style as "I know you are capable of doing this." This is the style used when high motivation is needed or group morale is very low. Hopefully, your conference will not necessitate the need of this style. The last management skill to think about is management at the conference itself. Planning and implementation is over and the big event is here. You ought to try Management by Wandering Around. This tactic is effective for keeping up with the elements that make up the conference. Don't run around trying to poke your head into everything, but be on the lookout for potential problems. If you see something or something is identified to you, use the chain of command if you’re the committee chair; don't try and take care of it all by yourself. Promoting the ConferenceYou have been planning a great conference, now what are you going to do to get the word out? On a regional level there are several opportunities that you can take advantage of. Promotion of the regional conference should be aimed at two distinct groups of attendees: NAI members and non-members. NAI members can be attracted to the workshop through existing channels. There are several of these available:Membership lists can be accessed through the Region 6 membership chair or the NAI office. You will also want to create lists that include others in interpretation in the region, not just NAI members of the region.Use the VIsions newsletter - every member of the region receives it.One of the best ways to promote the workshop is through the Region 6 website, nairegion6., or on social media such as Facebook, NAIRegion6The National office will help promote the conference through their digital publications to all members. We sometimes have members from other regions attend our conference. Be aware of National publication deadlines. This will take good communication with the VIsions newsletter editor and Region 6 digital communications chair and a clear-cut web update plan. The advantage of these online methods is that they can be accessed by members and non-members alike.Non-members are of course the largest and the most difficult group to promote to. Much of the promotion will depend on your connections to other interpreters in your state and across the region. This group is also the most important to market to, because this will be where new members are attracted from. Traditionally, whatever state the conference is in will attract the most non-members. To reach non-members, look for existing groups and organizations whose interests cross the paths of NAI. Environmental educators, Master Naturalists, teachers, museum organizations, university programs and clubs are all sources for contacting nonmembers. Think outside the box and experiment with finding the best way to reach non-members in your state. Remember to work through your NAI state coordinator and our Region 6 membership chair for options on attracting non-members. How to promote your conference is completely up to the committee. Most of the promotion will use digital media. Electrons are free, postage is not. Budgets and FundingWe are lucky that Region 6 is rather well off financially, but that does not change one of the goals of the conference - to make money. The conference is the major money raiser for the region and the only real funding source for scholarships and mini grants. Having a successful conference is important for the survival of these programs. The ways to fund the conference are only limited by your imagination. Here are a few of the options:GrantsMultiple grants are available for speakers and special topic programs. Chances are there are special grants available for educational programs in your state. Don't try and fund the whole conference on a single grant, instead look at line items that might be supported. Perhaps a portion of the sign language interpreter fees could be covered through a state humanities grant.DonationsWhen planned in advance, donations can really be a money saver. Remember that donations have to be accounted for, so it is best that you contact potential donors sometime before their fiscal year, or at least their quarter is up. Be sure to thank your donors and to recognize them at the workshop. Here is an example donor's schedule:$0-$75 value: small logo on donors sign, listing in program $75-$200 value: large logo on sign, listing in program $200-$500 value: large logo on sign, listing in program, tickets to keynote breakfast or scholarship auction $500+ value: all of above & tickets awards banquet with keynoteWhen soliciting for donations be sure to stress:The conference is for the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) Region 6We are the only ones asking for a donation Attendees are from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Texas & Louisiana Attendees will be from all types of backgrounds, all in interpretationExpected attendance: 100-200 What part of the conference you are planning on using the donation forOur tax ID # ____________________What you will need from the sponsors:Estimate of how much ($ value) they are willing to donateConfirmation contact name (who to get back in touch with)A contact to get their logo in digital formPickup/Delivery plansWhat they want to donate (including brands).If you are soliciting alcohol, then it is important to explain how you will be controlling consumption. Please refer to the hospitality section of this notebook for a model of control.Building The BudgetRemember the conference mission includes offering a conference that is cost effective.This is one of the hardest parts of the workshop. While our main goal is to provide an enjoyable, educational workshop, it has to pay for itself and make a little money for the region. A goal is to make from $1,000 to $2,000, which also can help you if you have last minute or unexpected expenses to cover.One idea for building your budget is to cover all expenses from the basic conference registration fee. This would mean that pre-conference workshops, field trips and in this case "stay and play" activities, are all purely profit, minus any expenses for those. The budget does not have to be done this way. Another method is to build your complete budget with all activities around a low, but reasonable number of attendees. For most host sites recently, that has been 100 attendees. Some committees have also calculated around additional numbers, such as 125, 150, or 175 attendees. Any more registrations beyond what you think is a safe minimum goes towards making a profit. Of course more attendees mean that some expenses such as food and give-away swag also go up, but a significant portion of their registration fee also becomes profit. Below is a recent example listing the conference expenses, which is used to help determine the registration fee. This will vary some depending on the host site :Expenses for 2019 NAI Region 6 Conference in Wichita, KS:Printing (Based on Grapevine plus a little extra)$450.00Conference Center (Provided we meet room minimum)$0.00Transportation(within walking distance or public transit; built into field trips)$0.00Food and Beverage$12,715.78Audio Visual (use own, but need Mic/sound system (2 days) @ 25/day)$50.00Reusable Bag for swag$452.37Hospitality snacks and beverages (100 x 10.00) $1,000.00Hospitality Room ($99/night x 4 nights, plus tax)$520.00Keynote 1$400.00Keynote 2 $500.00Greg Victors Native American Entertainment at scholarship auction site$300.00Yard Game Truck for banquet after-dinner entertainment$0.00Misc/unforeseen (build in reduced price for students/seniors, extra dinners)$318.00River City Brewery-Interp.Olympics(cover food, alc. option, rm.& AV rental)$2,663.85Credit Card fee of 3.5 % ($180 x 3.5%=$6.30/person)$630.00Grand Total$20,000.00$2000.00 Sponsorship from KS. Dept of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism$18,000.00Grand Total Per Person Based on 100 people$180.00Here are some other tips for building your budget:We are not tax exempt. We are only tax exempt in Colorado. Add taxes onto most of your figures.Do not forget to add gratuity costs for catering. Most places will charge this fee, normally 18%. Find this out ahead of time.We are charged a 2.5 - 5.0% credit card fee for all online workshop registrations. Check with our treasurer for exact rate. Most people register online now for the workshops. Make sure your registration fees cover all of your per person plimentary or discounted registrations (real costs) need to be accounted for in the budget. National staff who attend should pay the full registration fee through the National office. Work with the Region 6 scholarship committee to identify student and professional scholarship winners who will receive free registrations, paid for from the regional scholarship funds. The committee may decide to award complimentary registrations to keynote speakers.Follow the Non-member Registration Policies set by NationalAn Excel document titled Region 6 Conference Budget Template is available from the Region 6 Google Drive to assist you. This example should be pretty easy to understand, but there are a few areas that can be further explained. On the Excel worksheet there are notes that explain each section.Line Items- The line items include all the expenses associated with the regular portion of the workshop. This section can be expanded and shrunk as needed. Make it as intricate as possibleBreak Even Breakdown- This section is useful for estimating the number of registered attendees needed for the workshop to break even. As said above, we set up this workshop to try to break even just on registration. To use this section, you need to determine:Meals- How much of the gross registration is going toward meals at the hotel. This should be figured on a per person basis. For example, the registration amount for 2005 was $145. $90 of that was for the provided meals. Once this is done you can get you per person totals.Per Person Total- Gives you the amount your registration would need to be if you only expected 100, 125 and 140 registrants.Registration Summary- As your registration begins to come in you can input the number to figure your gross and net registration.Pre-Conference Workshops, Field Trips and Stay and Play- Put the number of registered attendees in the number column, the amount you are charging in the gross column and the expenses in the expense column to receive your net profit per pre-workshop. Follow the same steps for field trips and if you are doing it, stay and play.Extra Activities Summary- Like the Registration summary, this will total the Pre-workshops, Field Trips and Stay and Play activities.Total Income- Here are the big numbers: gross minus expenses gives you the net profit for the region.Note: Having the opening night, auction, banquet or other nights in different locations can be a burden on transportation costs, a logistics nightmare for moving auction items and takes time away from other activities of the conference (cutting short the number of sessions. These can be great events, please just be aware of the trade offs when playing them.The Conference CommitteeThe conference committee is the body of the workshop. Just like a human body, in order for the committee to work properly, all of the elements should be functioning in concert. There are several elements, or subcommittees, that must make up the committee. The essential elements are:Committee Chair or Co-ChairsThis position coordinates the mayhem. Must have good communication skills, the ability to deal with multiple things at once, and a lot of time to devote to the process. It is also possible to divide the responsibilities up between two co-chairs.RegistrationThis sub-committee is in charge of preparing registration information and setting up the online registration with staff from the NAI office. Those staff members will build the document and post it at . Nearly all registrations will be done online, but a paper version is required in a few cases. This committee should also work with the Region 6 digital communications chair to post information about the conference on our website and social media accounts, as well as a link to the online registration form and the paper form. All payments and paper forms should be sent by registrants to the NAI office. The committee also sets up and staffs the onsite registration area as well as prepares and distributes the conference packet along with the typical swag bag and swag items.Programs/KeynotesThe Programs sub-committee is in charge of contacting and organizing special speakers, sending out, receiving, choosing and scheduling concurrent session submissions, and constructing the conference program publication. They need to communicate any speaker expenses to the conference chair for inclusion in the budget, as well as accounting for any meals, lodging, or registration expenses associated with the keynote speakers, which have to come out of the budget. Sometimes the hotel will give us some complimentary room nights based on the number of room nights booked, and those can be used for keynote speakers or scholarship winners.LogisticsLogistics is usually covered by the conference chair or a member of the planning committee that lives in the host city or nearby and can take care of lodging and meeting area preparations. They work to meet any special needs and coordinate exhibits and vendors with the hotel and/or convention center staff. They decide on the meal schedule with input from the rest of the committee. They also work on site during the conference as a troubleshooter with the hotel/convention center staff.The Region 6 Deputy Director has the responsibility of assisting the conference planning committee as needed and making sure they are on track for a successful conference. They include an update on conferences in their report to the Board. They should be invited to attend your planning meetings with an option for teleconferencing if possible.Other essential elements that could be absorbed by the above subcommittees are:HospitalityThis position acts as the on site host. They organize and watch over the hospitality suite and coordinate with the volunteer sub-committee to cover the suite during all hours it is open. They also take care of the entertainment after the awards dinner.Field TripsThis position prepares, schedules, and plans field trips. It is a big responsibility and they need lots of support from other committee members and volunteers.Pre-Conference WorkshopsThis position prepares, schedules and plans the pre-conference workshops.They should be present during these sessions to troubleshoot and help registrants. Volunteer CoordinatorThe volunteer coordinator schedules and provides volunteers for any section of the committee.The Conference Committee can be broken up in a multitude of ways. Two examples are listed below, but they are by no means the exact model.The first model is based on Incident Command structure. This particular structure is found in organizations dealing with large scale emergencies, special events or other special incidents. Workshop Chair (Incident Commander) Registration Logistics Programs (Financial/Admin) (Logistics) (Operations)Hospitality Volunteer Coordinator Pre-Conf. Workshops Field Trips (Planning) Some of the advantages of this structure include:It will be familiar to many people.It is able to grow and shrink with the number of workshop committee members.It creates a chain of communication that reduces the amount of work the workshop chair must do.It creates a chain of command that is very adaptable to the confusion of conference.Some of the disadvantages of this structure include:You have to work to make it democratic- it can leave the workshop chair making most of the final decisions.Unlike a real incident command model, it lacks a "planning" section. It is assumed that all of the subcommittees would be involved in planning.Another example of organization for the workshop committee is the "big circle." There are some advantages and disadvantages to this structure as well. Advantages include:It has good lines of communication with the workshop chair.It is very democratic- it allows for exchange of ideas and decisions Disadvantages include:It is hard on the workshop chair because of the amount of communication that they must handle.It takes a large number of people to populate the subcommittees.It is hard for the subcommittees to get together for a large meeting.As stated above, there is no set way to organize your subcommittees. There are plenty of options- and something else might work best for you. Of the two that are listed above, the Incident Command structure is probably the better structure to go with.Vice ChairsIt is highly recommended that each sub-committee have a vice chair. The role of the vice chairs is to provide support and backup to the sub-committee chair and be able to take over if a chair must step down. They will also be in charge of coordinating the volunteers for their subcommittees. This vital position can save you: you never can tell what the future brings. Not having an informed vice chair to make an emergency transition can greatly handicap a conference.Conference Committees with Reduced NumbersWhen the workshop rolls around to your state, you may not have the luxury of a large number of volunteers.In the two years of planning that go into a conference, a natural cycle for the committee may evolve. Some subcommittees may be idle while others are quite busy.This could be exploited by a smaller workshop committee where members are wearing multiple hats. Here are the cycles that have emerged previously.Conference Chair: no real break. Coordinating the conference is a big task and needs to have the attention of the chair. That said, there are certain aspects that the chair usually handles, but troubleshooting is one of their main roles. Registration: builds steadily through the process. Because of the intensity of this position, it is recommended that this sub-committee be undistracted at certain points.They are also very busy throughout the first two days of the conference. It is possible, though this is one of the most undesirable matches, for the Registration sub-committee to also share the hat of Hospitality. Hospitality sees its most activity in the last 6 months leading up to the conference, so it could be time shared if the Registration sub-committee had its packet pieced together early. That would make the sub-committee quite busy and other options are possible (see below).Logistics: is busy at the very beginning of the planning cycle then slows, picking up again in the last two months leading up to the conference. The logistics chair could also be the volunteer coordinator. This is possibly the better slot for Hospitality. They can do the majority of their work during the slack and then plan on a very busy conference. Programs/Keynotes: is busy a year to nine months out, six months out, three months out and up to the conference. This sub-committee could absorb pre-conference workshops and field trips, but the sub-committee would have to be committed to having essentially no break during the entire conference.The cycles of these subcommittees:Hospitality: is busiest six months and three months out.Field Trips: is busy at nine months and the two months leading up to the conference.Pre-Conference Workshops: is busiest at nine months and the two months leading up to the conference.Volunteer Coordinator: is busiest the two months leading up to the conference.This is based on an optimum schedule. It is easy to fall behind in preparation, especially when you are trying to plan a year ahead. If you are scrambling at the end, then the above times are out the window.Dividing up the WorkHaving clear cut duties is essential for not missing anything and for avoiding repetition of jobs. Here is a suggested duty list:Conference Chair/Co-Chair:CommunicationCommittee stand inOverall coordinationBudget PreparationLogistics:Hotel ConcernsPrinting conference programPosting/setup signageAdvertisingCity/Site LiaisonSpecial NeedsExhibits/Vendors Programs:Coordinate special speakers/keynotesBreakout sessions schedulingStay and Play (optional)Special ProgramsPre-Conference WorkshopsVolunteer coordination of room monitorsCreates paper program content and layout, coordinates printingCoordinates with Region 6 Awards Chair for the awards dinner program Registration:Registration packet constructionStaff the registration tableHospitality:Stock RoomSet up RoomCoordinate with volunteer chair to fill time slots with volunteersAwards banquet entertainment (dance, DJ, live music, games, photo-booth)Breakfast finger foods on morning of field tripsInterp Olympics (could also be a separate sub-committee)Determine venue and ensure computer, projector and screen are availableDepending on site and logistics, provide alcohol, snacks, possibly a mealCreate sign up sheets for teams and distributeCreate Powerpoint presentations Round up judges and provide scoring sheetsField Trips:Schedule tripsArrange leadersArrange transportationDescription write-ups for registration packetVolunteers:Get volunteers to meet sub-committee needsLogisticsThe logistics sub-committee is another of the essential elements that makes up the conference committee. This sub-committee handles the hotel, accessibility and site logistics.The chair is often the conference chair, but needs to be somebody close to the hotel or convention center site.Contracting With the HotelIt is a good idea to begin looking at possible sites to hold your workshop two years or more in advance. Many hotels, especially the more popular ones, book two years or at least one year in advance. Also, many hotels offer only one conference room and are not feasible for this sort of conference. Several host sites have instead opted to utilize local convention centers instead for the concurrent sessions. If these are within easy walking distance of the hotel, then that is a feasible model. However, you will need to be aware of your budget because one of the perks of having the concurrent sessions at the host hotel is that they will often waive the rental fee for those rooms as long as you meet a minimum number of room nights at the hotel. Another concern to be aware of is that if your host hotel room rates are too high, a number of attendees may opt to stay at a cheaper hotel nearby. A registration fee discount for those staying at the host hotel may be possible, but you will need the attendees hotel reservation info when they book their registration to give them the discount. Most Holiday Inns have what we need, at least three break-out rooms and enough space otherwise to accommodate meal times apart from the session rooms. More treatment of the hotel logistics is covered under the time and the place.After you have narrowed down your list of possible hotels, it may be helpful to ask those sites to complete the Request For Proposals (RFP), which is included as an appendix to this document. An evaluation form is also found there. When you have determined your first choice and are ready for a contract, consult with the National office, which has to approve and sign your contract first.MealsPart of the hotel package will include meals. Again, if you use a convention center or other site instead of the hotel for meals, you will need to be aware of the impact it may have on your budget. The workshop committee should decide how many and what kind of meals should be offered. Most hotels will give you a group menu to choose from. You can also give the hotel a flat rate and ask them what they can do with that. For example, you can say you want 7 meals: 2 breakfasts, lunches and dinners, plus a snack/drink break between sessions. You want one of those to be plated (usually the award banquet) and the rest can be buffet style. You have $90 per person to spend. What can you do for us?It is also nice, if possible, to find a hotel that will agree to let you have control over your own hospitality, including beverages. This saves a great deal of cost if you are able to bring in your food and drinks rather than ordering it all from the hotel. This also allows for possible donations from businesses that will save money for other things. Many hotels will not agree to do this but if you set out for it in the beginning before you make the agreement, there is at least a better chance. AccessibilityIt is not only a good idea but necessary to research and provide services that will make your workshop as accessible as possible to anyone who might like to attend. We are required to do this because we are offering a conference to the public. Many websites are great at giving guidance with respect to making public events, lectures and performances accessible to persons with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Title II of the ADA requires that public entities make their programs, services and activities accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes performing arts events, sporting events, lectures, conferences and other programs. Some information is provided below about what is suggested. Basically, you need something in your announcement that states something like this: "If you are an individual with a disability and will need an accommodation, please call (name and number of individual appointed), at least two weeks before the conference date to request your accommodation."Remember to allow proper funds to cover such services should they be needed. Special grants are often available for services such as this. You might check with your state government or humanities department. In the past, sign language interpreters have been requested and have ranged over $1,000 in cost. It is best to budget for it in advance or secure a grant rather than be surprised right before the conference. It is also advisable to schedule specific interpreters (you will need at least two to handle a workshop like this or probably more depending on schedule conflicts) a year in advance. Most will make some sort of agreement with you in the event that you do not need their services. So long as you notify them, as your announcement states, say two weeks in advance, you shouldn't have to worry about any charges. Many services schedule sign language interpreters and are a great last minute alternative however, if you do the research and schedule your own, you can cut the cost in half and avoid paying the service.These are some examples of what might be requested of you:ServicesAmong the services or "accommodations" that you might be called upon to provide are: (1) large-print or Braille versions of written materials; (2) assistive listening devices; (3) wheelchair accessible seating; (4) accessible parking; (5) a sign language interpreter; (6) open/closed captioning; and (7) audio description. Promotional literature for events should, at a minimum, identify a phone number patrons with special needs can call for information on accessing such services. The contact person identified should be trained to handle requests for these special services.General information about such services is as follows:1. Large print: This is 18 point print or larger. Sans serif or modified serif print with good contrast is recommended. You should be prepared to offer print materials in "Large Print" format upon request (i.e. programs, pamphlets, brochures, guides, etc.).2. Braille: Patrons with visual impairments may request print materials in Braille.The Campus Coordinators for the Concerns of Students with Disabilities, Cheryl Clarke (New Brunswick), James Credle (Newark) and William Edwards (Camden) have information on file regarding vendors who will Braille print materials. Turnaround time is usually 1 to 2 weeks.3. Assistive Listening Devices: These systems transmit amplified sound via headsets. Some theaters are equipped with permanently installed transmitters for which portable receivers are available. Portable systems are usually available through vendors who provide equipment rental for conferences or meetings.4. Wheelchair Accessible Seating: Most hotels and venues are accessible to people using wheelchairs. Hosts of events should be familiar with the locations of accessible elements (i.e., entrances, routes, restrooms, seats).5. Accessible Parking: Accessible parking is likely to be the most often requested accommodation. Events for which parking is provided should also provide accessible parking spaces. Upon request, you should be able to identify the location of accessible spaces available for an event. As a general rule of thumb, there should be one accessible space per 25 total spaces. There should also be an accessible route from the accessible spaces to the entrance area for the event.6. Sign language Interpreters: Lectures, tours and other spoken-word events should be prepared to offer sign language interpreters upon request. You may require reasonable advance notice (e.g.,3-5 days) and request as much notice as possible.Advance notice expectations should be noted on any promotional materials advertising the event. Theater events where multiple performances of the same shows are scheduled are sometimes encouraged by organizations to provide one pre-scheduled performance that will be interpreted and to advertise this in promotional literature. Interpreters charge approximately $50.00 per hour and often work in pairs for long events. You might consider planning a performance where this could be incorporated regardless of need if funds allow and advertise it to your local community and state agencies such as your local school for the deaf.7. Closed/Open Captioning: Persons who are deaf may request video recordings available with closed-captioned text. Videotapes and movies are often available with captioning coded into the tape/film. Newer television sets have built in decoders. At significant expense, videos without captioning can have captions added. An alternate accommodation is open captioning which translates dialogue and other sounds in print.8. Audio Description: This is a service for people with low vision or who are blind. Its purpose is to make the performing and visual arts more accessible. A trained "Audio Describer" offers live commentary or narration (via headphones) of visual elements. Contact your local school for the blind to inquire about such services.9. Training: Event staff should receive periodic training with respect to serving persons with disabilities. For most of us, this is already provided to us as part of our work requirements especially in state and federal agencies.SignageEach venue should have appropriate signs directing patrons to accessible entrances/exits, seating, and restrooms. Most hotels or public venues will have this already taken care of but it is good to take note and double-check.Promotional MaterialsPromotional materials must inform individuals with disabilities that they may make requests for reasonable accommodations in order to attend events and activities open to the community and/or the public at large. Accordingly, all notices of public meetings and all invitations, brochures, pamphlets or flyers announcing public performances, lectures and programs need to contain a statement about accessibility to the event. Consider integrating the following into your announcement (including website and other media as appropriate).Example: Conferences and WorkshopsIn the event that the activity is a conference, workshop or other event requiring advance registration, a statement such as, "If you are an individual with a disability and will need an accommodation, please call (name and number of individual appointed), at least two weeks before the conference date to request your accommodation."Directional SignsThis is probably the most practical to do two weeks to a month in advance. Two weeks is probably sufficient so long as you are doing them in-house and not worried about dealing with printing businesses. Having signs or banners professionally printed is very costly. For a banner alone, prices range around $100 each. Large signs have been priced at the $40 or $50 range each. You might find it cheaper but even at half the cost, having several done gets expensive. A nice alternative to this is printing them in-house but using creative ways to display them. One idea: You can have large picture mats cut at Hobby Lobby for about $17-$20 each depending on size (up to 32 X 40) with as many windows as you like (some cost per hole cut). Print your own signs on 8.5 X 11” paper (whatever color combination you like) and use the mat as a frame. This works well for concurrent session presentations where you can list four or so at a time and then replace the sheets for the following session day. You should only need three or four mats cut to accommodate 24 or more presentations since you can change out your signs as you like within the mat.For smaller (regular paper size) signs, you can use 11X14 mats to make them look a little nicer and they only cost about $2 each. To make them stand up you can buy easel backs at Hobby Lobby (11X14 as well) that will create a whole framed sign minus the frame and glass. The easel backs are about $3 to $4 each. To do this cheaper, you can use stand-up frames from home and just tape the sign on top. It won't hurt your frame but will allow a quick one-time prop to make your signs stand up without buying all of the materials. All of these things can be found in the framing department of Hobby Lobby or your local craft store. Check well ahead for easel backs as they may not stock great quantities at a time. Most will order if need be. Consider spending some time at your local craft store for other ideas. Also consider creating your signs to go with your theme if appropriate.Note: Many people have difficulty reading light colors on dark backgrounds so it may be best to choose lighter colors and dark print.Signs to consider making: Concurrent session presentations, field trip departure schedule, hospitality room hours, trading post rules and schedule, hotel map as it applies to your activities, entire schedule for workshop - consider posting or running Powerpoint presentation loop.The most important thing, other than minimizing cost, is getting the information you need for the signs as timely as possible. This will likely be difficult simply because we tend to plan and make changes up to the last minute. Plan on those last minute changes and carry appropriate materials in case changes need to be made. Also, consider a design that will allow for easy changes.RegistrationRegistration is now much easier since it is almost all done online through the NAI website. But if you have a poor registration sub-committee, then you can have poor attendance to the workshop. The registration sub-committee still fulfills a vital role that cannot be underestimated. Main duties include:1. Gather all the information for the registration packet and form and coordinate with the NAI staff who will create the form and post it on the NAI web site, . You can begin by creating a paper registration form which will be needed by a few registrants, and NAI staff can use this to help build the online form. Paper registrations and checks should also go through the national office. NAI staff will give those on your committee who need it access to the dashboard on the web site, where you’ll be able to see all the latest information on registrants and to sort lists (such as for field trips) and print off any rosters as needed. To communicate with just the registrants about any conference updates, or to send reminders, it may be useful to create a free Mailchimp account and import their email addresses to create a list. While the Region 6 digital communications chair can also do this, it is probably just as easy for the committee to do this step themselves. 2. Put together registration bags with give away items - if the budget allows, decide on a workshop gift to give the attendees3. Staff the registration booth at the conference and be a hub of information throughout the workshop4. Help with the program booklet that they will get at the conference containing all the concurrent sessions and their descriptions, location and time.The Registration PacketThis important document will probably be the first detailed look that the potential attendees will get of your conference. It will be the main tool to sell your conference and includes:? The logo and theme for the conference? Pre-workshop descriptions, prices, dates, times and locations? Field trip descriptions, prices, and departure times and locations? Keynote speakers with photos and bios? A basic conference schedule? Conference site information? An "Extras" area - what sets your conference apart from all others? Finalized prices? Contact information for all your important conference committee membersThe paper registration form should include an NAI six-month membership application. Due to liability issues all attendees must become members of NAI to participate in the conference even if just for a one-day registration, which is why a six-month membership is added to their registration fee if a nonmember. It may also be helpful to include some information, even on the application form, about the financial stipends available for members to apply for from Region 6 to attend the conference. Currently there are 6 of these stipends which cover the registration fee. The funds for these stipends are generated through the annual student scholarship and professional development auction at the conference. The sub-committee will need to communicate with the Region 6 scholarship committee chair on how many of these stipends will be given out and to whom. The recipients also note their stipend award on their registration form, which you will be able to access through the NAI website dashboard.Helpful HintsYou can lay out the registration packet yourself or turn it over to a graphic artist to lay it out with nice graphics. You can also hybridize this process by laying out the format wanted and then having a graphic artist go over the project and prepare it for print.Do not expect the NAI staff to be able to assist you much during October and November, as they are focused on the National conference in November. It is best to get the info to them by late September, and hopefully they will be ready to have the online registration go live by the first of December. The Registration TimelineGive yourself plenty of time to get the registration information out. There are always going to be delays. Ideally you want the registration packet online by the beginning of December, working with the National staff. They are busy with final preparations for the National conference in October and November. Plan for the holiday breaks - they can really hurt in meeting deadlines.6 months out: registration information ready to send to National office3 months out: registration goes live online through National office and information posted on Region 6 website and Facebook page through Digital Communications Chair 1 month out: deadline for early registration (late fee of $25)At conference: be ready to take walk-in registrations Conference Swag BagThe conference swag bag is that great bag of goodies or swag that attendees get when they register. Putting this bag together takes time and like everything else at the workshop, needs to be planned ahead.The most important thing while accomplishing this task is to keep good records of who you have talked to, what they have promised, and when you are to retrieve them. Also, keeping tabs on what you have received is good so you aren't constantly bothering those who have been so generous.Your first step is to call all the agencies you know would be interested in donating. For example your State Parks, Game and Fish, Tourism Commission, historic preservation, geologic commission, local banks, printing companies and so on. This is a time to call in favors, and talk to those who have the inside track with big companies. This will be great advertising for these companies, especially if they spread out to our six state region. Always offer to pick up the items from the donors so that they are not inconvenienced. You should plan on getting 200 of everything. While that is a high end of our usual region conference attendance, if you have extras you can always put them in the hospitality room to be picked up by those who want them.There is usually some sort of gadget/cool thing in the goody bags, and you need to start looking now for something you think would be cool for your state to give to the region. It is important to work closely with the budget, as the gadgets you select could be changed if needed. You need to budget for the maximum amount of people, but maybe don't buy that much until your pre-registration is done with so you will have a better idea of what's going on. For instance, if you chose something that had to be personalized, get it all set up, but don't order the specific amount until after pre-registration. The turn-over on personalized things from print shops is at the very least a month. I would give yourself at least 2 months from the time you order to the conference. It is a good idea to gather everything in one area so that you can quickly look over it and figure out what you have. That way when it comes time to move it, you know where everything is.Begin assembling as much as possible when you have the chance. Stuff poster bags, count out notepads and pencils, etc. You can request volunteers for the day the first pre workshop attendees begin arriving and have a huge goody bag stuffing party. Assembly line, assembly line, assembly line. That's the name of the game. Your program bag should include:? Map of the area? Map of the hotel/place of conference ? Special goodies ? Pen/pencil ? Notepad for taking notes ? The program for conferenceRegistration ConfirmationsElectronic confirmations will be sent out automatically upon registration by NAI. ProgramsThe program committee is the heart of any workshop. Because it plays such a large role in the workshop, it is important that it be one of the most organized. The program committee will select and schedule the concurrent sessions, plan and schedule keynotes and during the workshop, run these different sections. They also coordinate with the Region 6 awards chair for the awards banquet.12 months outWith the conference committee, decide on the number of keynote speakers and generate a list of suggested speakers to invite. Set budget for keynotes and special performances. Write grants if possible for performance funding.11 months outContact keynote speakers and confirm with contacts or agreements for performance and fees.9 months outPrepare the Call for Papers. The Call for Papers needs to be sent to the newsletter editor by August 1 to run in the following two issues. The traditional deadline for papers to be returned has been December 31.4 months outDecide with the committee how many concurrent sessions will be needed.After deadline/3 months outReview all submitted proposals with the help of others if there are cuts.Send out confirmations with date, time and location of presentation.Send out declinations for all those not accepted. Keep a list for back-ups in the event of anize all presenters into a spreadsheet with contact info and pile program descriptions to be sent to the person creating the overall pile a list of A/V equipment needed and other support items.2 months outWork with volunteer coordinator to set up room monitors.Make sure there are concurrent session evaluation forms for attendees.Make sure there are ballot sheets for Best Concurrent Session Award Voting.1 month outCreate program schedule for Awards Banquet with Awards Chair. At this time, you will also need to call and reconfirm with all the special speakers. Make sure that they have all the workshop information that they need.On SiteMonitor volunteers for room monitors and session evaluations.Collect and distribute evaluations.Collect award ballots and confirm count with the help of others. Report winner to Awards Chair.Monitor A/V equipment and keep up with A/V needs.Stay & Play OptionIn brainstorming sessions for previous conferences, it was noticed that a number of people opted out of the offered field trips for various reasons, including trip length, accessibility and a desire to tour the conference host city. Consequently, they were being left out. In answer to this, the Stay & Play option was created. It consists of half day workshops to take place at the conference site, allowing participants to stay on site, but have time in the day to sightsee or rest. Stay & Play workshop programs could be historically-oriented because of the host city and its tie with the conference. For example black powder demonstration, flint knapping, sand painting, soap making, and basket weaving. You could utilize the many talents found within Region 6 if the goal is for Stay & Play to pay for itself. The Stay and Play timeline was 10 months out:Contact the prospective workshop leaders to see if they were interested.Contracts sent out for the leaders to return.Researched and wrote possible grants. 6-4 months out:Wrote the descriptions for adding into the registration packet.Set the minimum and maximum numbers for each program.3 months out:Began assembling supplies.2 months out:Worked with logistics to finalize set up for the workshops.Double-checked that supplies are bought and in order.1 month out:Begin returning numbers to leaders.Decide according to minimums and maximums what workshops will make or not.Pre-Conference WorkshopsPre-conference workshops are a natural extension of the overall conference experience and should not be overlooked. Typically these are a half-day or more in length, hands-on sessions, and are therefore best described as workshops. They help to make your conference unique.Essentially, you can follow the same format as Programs, Field Trips and Stay and Play to accomplish this section. There are a few special things to address:1. Are your workshops one or two days? Are you making room arrangements to reflect this?2. What are the logistics of the area for workshops? If you are dealing with all day activities that are on a Sunday, will sites be open?3. What about teachers for your workshops? Are they to be paid, work for free, have their registration fee waived?All of these things are important to note. Take time to plan the workshop sessions and it should be a money maker for the conference.Field TripsField trips are an essential part of the conference experience. They are usually the icing on the cake of the workshop. They are also a chance to showcase your little corner of Region 6! Without them, the conference site becomes just another hotel.Logistics of Field TripsTransportation costs can really hit your budget hard. There is a good chance that some transportation costs can be covered by agencies providing the vehicles. This is a part of the conference that helps the region make a little money. A good base price is $25, but this varies widely depending on admission fees, lunch opportunities, and other fees. You want to keep field trips affordable for members. If you have to pay a field trip leader a fee, which is unlikely, figure that into the cost of the trip based on a minimum number of participants to break even. Indicate which field trips can accommodate for disabilities. It's OK if some of the field trips are not accessible, as this is sometimes unavoidable (hiking, etc.)For meals, try to have groups stop for lunch at local restaurants and list them as a "meal on your own." Box lunches can usually be prepared by the host hotel, adding $5-10 to the price of the field trip. Field trips are best if they are offered on the second day of the workshop (typically Tuesday) rather than the last day. In the past, offering field trips on the last day has caused a massive early exodus from the workshop. You'll have to make sure sites you want to use are open that day.Designate field trip times. A full-day trip should be back at the host hotel by 4 or 5 pm. A half-day field trip should be back no later than 2 pm if it begins in the morning. People like the option of a nap and/or some free time. On the registration form indicate if you need vehicles and drivers. Entice them with a reward if you deem it necessary—for example, you could use a reward of trading post money.Don't overload on the number of field trips offered. Seven is about right. The biggest headache will be to arrange transportation. Although Region 6 members are usually very good about being drivers, you don't want to tax limited resources.Choosing Sites for Field TripsCheck around your conference site. Are there interpretive centers? Historical museums? Zoos? Nature trails? Points of interest? Region 6 participants have diverse interests, so it's best to have varied field trips that would interest a historian, a nature center director, a naturalist, etc. Some sites have coordinated a work day at a local park or other interpretive site to assist with a particular project, such as invasive plant removal. Some like this opportunity to give back to the host community.All field trips should be within a 1.5 hour drive of the host facility. Don't spend more time in the vehicle than you do at the sites. It is important to not only check out routes and driving time to each site beforehand, but also what the quality of interpretation is like at the sites, in order to avoid any surprises. Perhaps a struggling site would welcome a group of professional interpreters to visit and work with their staff to help find ways of improving their interpretation.When you have chosen the sites for field trips, talk to the staff at those sites and see if they will offer a tour. Try to get fees waived or at least reduced at sites that have them. They usually will for groups like ours. Also ask for a behind-the-scenes tour, with time to speak to the site director or other key staff about particular challenges they have faced and the solutions they came up with. A typical tour led by a volunteer that may not be able to answer these types of in-depth questions may be disappointing for those on the tour.Don't be redundant. If the entire group is going to visit a site together, don't make it a separate field trip. It wastes people's time and money to see the same site twice. If it is unavoidable, try to find a different link to your overall field trip theme. Think about the impact on the site. Do not interfere with endangered wildlife, etc. If you have field trips that you’d like to offer, but just can't do them logistically, consider putting them in the registration packet as "on your own" trips. Lots of people like to take the day for themselves to explore the region. A list of good birding sites in the area is also helpful.6 months out? Begin work on the description of each field trip for the registration packet andwebsite. Descriptions should be no longer than three or four sentences. Field trips should also have "catchy" titles that draw the interest of interpreters.? On the registration form, have members indicate their first choice, second choice, and third choice of field trip. This helps you make decisions on numbers, and people aren't left out.? Determine your minimum and maximum numbers. This can be difficult, since you won't know how many vehicles you have until (usually) the week before the workshop. A safe minimum is four, a maximum of 20 people. For example, if "Highpoint High" has 20 people, it's full, no additions, not even walk-ins. If "Rock-climbing 101" has only 3 people register, the field trip is canceled, and those people get placed into their second or third field trip choices.3 months outCreate a checklist for each field trip; an example is included in this section.Check with sites and confirm dates and tours.1 month outGo through the online registrations in the dashboard. Sort and print off master lists of field trips with registrants.Wait a week after the early registration deadline to make the final decision on whether to cancel a field trip if the minimum number of registrants hasn’t been reached.Make sure those few people get added to their second or third choice of field trip.Email the participants and confirm their field trip registration.Check registration forms for participants volunteering their vehicles and to drive.Don't fill vehicles to capacity if possible, aim for only 2 people per bench seat.This may increase the number of vehicles for each trip.Check registration forms for ADA accessibility needs. Assign appropriate vehicles to those trips first.Check to make certain you will have a driver with a CDL license if you have a vehicle that requires it.On your checklist for each field trip, assign vehicles to each trip and driver names.Contact drivers and field trip leaders and go over plan of day and destinations. Work in bathroom breaks.Obtain National liability waiver and make copies.Create an envelope of information for each person for each field trip, making sure their name, field trip title, meeting place and meeting time is on it. Put the waiver form and other trip information inside. Make a few extras for walk-ins.Make field trip signs to place under windshields of vehicles.Make signs for field trip leaders to hold up at meeting place.Contact tour guides at specific sites just as a reminder.Train any volunteers you may be using.Make any changes or additions necessary for the final program given to participants. This includes the departure time and meeting place of each field trip.1 week outPlace envelopes for field trips in participant's registration folders.Give hotel numbers for box lunches (if you have to have them). They will take up space; allow for this in vehicles.Email or hand your field trip drivers and leaders a map or list of directions to sites and the itinerary.Beginning of the ConferenceCheck with the registration chair when Sunday's registration closes to see if anyone registers as a walk-in and pays for an open field trip.If any driver or leader was missed by email, give them directions and itinerary.Field Trip DayBe at the meeting place for field trip departure in the parking area or loading area. Put the proper signs under the windshield wiper of the appropriate vehicle. This person also makes certain the vehicles depart on time. Have the vans/buses line up in order of departure if possible.Put any coolers of ice that are needed in the backs of designated vehicles. Participants can load their drinks in coolers as they board. This should really only be considered for field trips that are several miles away from convenience stores and vending machines.Announce field trip meeting and departure 10 minutes before hand.Make sure everyone signs and hands a designated person the waiver before they leave the room or get in the vehicle.Make sure leaders and drivers know the headcount.Have an emergency contact name and number at the host hotel and give it to field trip leaders.Make sure this contact also has the names and cell phone (if applicable) of drivers and leaders for each field trip.Don't be afraid to delegate. This is a long day.After the WorkshopGive waiver forms to Workshop Chair. Should keep them for at least one year.Send thank-you notes to anyone outside NAI Region 6 membership who assisted with field trips (tour guide at historic site, for example).HospitalityThe Hospitality Room/Suite should be an important part of any conference to allow for socializing and networking. The conference attendees should have a large, comfortable meeting area that will not be disturbing to other guests and is available for gatherings after other conference activities have concluded.Hospitality Room OverviewIn some past years the hospitality suite has been a hotel room or rooms that have been set aside for snacks and social gathering. Not only have they been noisy, they have been woefully inadequate. Expecting even a small portion of the 120-175 registered attendees to make it into a hotel room (and be comfortable) is not very reasonable. The uncomfortable nature of the rooms has led to a general decline in the number of people socializing in the room and a spilling over of the room's purpose to undesirable areas such as lobby spaces and other public areas.The hospitality room should not be an afterthought, but consider it as one of the pillars of the conference experience. A place to gather and swap ideas, stories and thoughts is very important. A number of activities may occur in this room to help keep the attendees aware of its role in the conference.Activities in the Hospitality RoomThe main function of the room is to provide a social atmosphere. This should not conflict with other scheduled portions of the conference. Snacks and drinks should be available at all times, alcohol in the evening after dinner. Music should be available as well as a variety of games. The amount of activity in your Hospitality Room is totally up to the conference committee. It can be a minimal affair offering evening meeting options or it can have full blown involvement and host several large social gatherings depending on the space, including the auction and a dance.Special Needs in the Hospitality RoomStaffing: The room will need to be staffed by a minimum of one person during any regular open time. This person will be the host or hostess and be in charge of keeping the room tidy, keeping track of needs and special requests as well as preparing any snacks for the room.During special events, the minimum staffing should be two, if not three. There will probably need to be two people behind the bar taking care of bar and snack needs, and a floater on the floor to circulate with items. Hospitality Room staff should be scheduled on shifts so that they do not have to work all evening or through an entire event.Food: Food should be snack types and finger food, both sweet and salty variety. The breakfast items, if open then, may include pastries/donuts/bagels/muffins, perhaps some cereal options, fruit, yogurt, granola, and a variety of drink options besides coffee.Alcohol: Alcohol may be available in the evening and during special events. Anytime after regular scheduled conference programs alcohol could be available.If alcohol is being served then there must be some rules:The person serving the alcohol will be over 21.We will not serve minors (obviously) and will card if in doubt.During the course of the conference attendees will be asked to wear their name badges to discourage the possibility of hotel guests mingling with our group.We reserve the right to refuse to serve anyone.Not everyone drinks at these events and few will drink every night. High consumption times will be the auction and dance. Beer donations from local breweries are desirable to offset the costs involved. It is important to follow the hotel rules on alcohol outside the hospitality room, and to be courteous of other guests by keeping the noise to an acceptable level. We like everyone to have fun, but this is still a professional conference.Music: This is not a necessity, just an added bonus. This can be as simple as a radio playing in the background, to a sound system with Karaoke capability. Be considerate of other hotel guests regarding the volume level.Ideas for the Hospitality Room:Theme Nights: certain nights are themed - for folks to dress in their period attire, or different types of activities, etc. Different theme night suggestions were Casino Night (playing for wooden nickels), Tropical Night, etc.Games: a wide variety of games, from board games to Twister, available. Could be supplied by the volunteers and committee members.Music night: Having a night set aside for a jam session by region members is a popular activity. Karaoke has also been popular in the past.Decorating the Hospitality Room: Some decorations would be appropriate, but not necessary to the operation of the room.Paying for the FunThe Hospitality Room should be able to solicit donations from a variety of sources. Thisis one area where a lot of little donations can be combined to serve everyone. Fooditems, beverages and paper goods are all possible donation items. Encourage attendees to be environmentally responsible by bringing their own cup to reuse. You can also ask participants to bring a six-pack of their local favorite brew to share.Another possibility is to charge for hospitality room items. This may sound a littleinhospitable, but it can be done tastefully. One possibility is to charge for alcohol.Funding the room somewhat is definitely a necessity. It will be difficult to fill all theneeds with donations. Adding it as a line item to the budget is also needed.The sky's the limit in the hospitality room. Keep in mind the purpose of providing asocial environment and let your ideas take off.Awards Banquet Entertainment: Some conferences will contract a band or DJ for entertainment after the awards banquet. A tradition that has developed is for them to play House of the Rising Sun (a.k.a. life-long member George Kastler’s interpretive dance song), and Heard It Through the Grapevine (with everyone dancing in a conga line around the room). Other conferences have included contra dancing to period music. Others have included popular backyard games such as corn hole and tumbling towers.Interp OlympicsThis social event may be coordinated by a separate chair, or could also fall under the hospitality chair. It is usually held on a separate evening from the live auction or awards banquet. Venues range from a private room at a local bar or restaurant, to a room at the hotel or convention site. Alcohol should definitely be available, but a meal is not required. It can be held after participants have a break to get dinner on their own. This tongue-in-cheek event is an improvisational game that tests participants interpretive skills and provides some laughs. Participants sign up to compete on teams that interpret different Powerpoint presentations they’ve never seen before. A panel of judges will score each team on their use of interpretive principles such as being thematic and provocative, as well as their ability to have a good time. Volunteer CoordinatorIt's important to have one person to act as a volunteer clearing house. Otherwise, you can have full fledged confusion. Note: A large portion of this person's duties take place in the few weeks before the workshop.Early onMake sure the registration form is designed with a place where folks can check "yes I'll volunteer."6 months outGet an initial list of volunteers needs (duties, shifts, how many) from committee chairs.Write (or have committee chairs write) job descriptions.Plan on how volunteers will be recognized (special name tag ribbons?, etc.) andcompensated (trading post money, t-shirts, or other freebies are a few ideas).3 weeks outGet names and emails of those who volunteered from the Registration Chair.Send a mass email, preferably in the blind carbon copy field (BC:) for privacy reasons.In that email, thank them for volunteering, providing basic information and jobdescriptions, and a list of shifts available (see attached example).Also in that email give them specific instructions for how to reply with theirchoices (email is probably best—you can filter responses into a folder that wayand don't have to deal with phone calls, etc.).1-2 weeks outCreate a spreadsheet of who will volunteer when. (An Excel file is good because you can sort by name, duty, date, etc. to fit your needs).Email a confirmation to each volunteer indicating their volunteer assignments (see attached example). Note that specific details (where to be, when, what's expected) will be included in their registration packets.Forward lists of volunteers to specific committee chairs so they can prepare whatever they need (e.g. The Programs Committee Chair will prepare room monitor envelopes with speaker introductions, evaluation forms, etc.). At the workshopBe sure volunteers' duty information gets into their registration packets.Be sure their compensation (e.g. trading post money, etc.) gets in their registration packets.Have your master list on hand in case people forget, switch, drop out, etc. Be prepared to help out where needed.After the WorkshopThe big week has come and gone, so it's time to hang it up and go home, right? NO! This is where the whole thing wraps up - not as soon as the awards banquet is over. It is also the hardest time to motivate yourself to do anything. By this point the committee and you are totally tired of NAI. You don't want to think any more about it. Here is what needs to happen after the workshop:Financial ObligationsThe chair of the conference committee is responsible for obtaining all outstanding invoices and ensuring that those are transferred to the Region 6 Treasurer for prompt payment. Hopefully the committee has already conveyed to any vendors or others to whom payment is owed that the payment process could take up to a month or longer, although 30 days is our goal. In coordination with the Treasurer, the chair should complete the conference budget spreadsheet showing the net gain or loss of revenue for a final conference report which is sent to the Region 6 Deputy Director, who then shares this information at the next Region 6 board meeting.Thank You CardsThese should go out to everybody who had a role in the conference, big and small. Some can be done ahead of time, some have to be finished after the conference. Whether they are done before or after, they need to be sent after the conference. Each sub-committee should take care of their own. Try to personalize them as much as possible.Workshop Summary Meeting and Final ReportAbout a week or two after the workshop there should be a meeting of the committee members. The summary created is invaluable to the Deputy Director, the board, and the next conference committee. This summary should include the evaluation done by the workshop attendees. If this evaluation is quantifiable, then percentages can be assigned to give a more accurate evaluation of the workshop.The following should be included in the report and submitted to the Deputy Director by the end of the quarter following the conference (approximately June 30th):Your conference committee contact InformationA committee summary of the conference, including what worked, what needed improvement, and suggestions for future planning committees and the regional boardthe budget spreadsheet with final numbersa summary of the attendee evaluations received the registration informationthe conference programthe awards banquet programAppendix 1:Timeline for Conference PreparationThis timeline may be used as an example. It will need to be adapted to your committee structure and conference objectives. The most important thing is to create a timeline that you and your committee can adapt to and follow.This timeline is also pretty general. If you need specifics on a certain sub-committee, then refer to the other portions of this notebook. Planning Phase: 24-10 monthsImplementation Phase: 10-2 monthsFinalization Phase: 2 months – last week prior to the conference.Planning Phase:24-21 Months OutStaff all the subcommittees (with vice positions as well)Staff logistics, programs and registration subcommitteesDecide on a conference themeDecide on the conference site Committee begins to outline a budget for the conferenceLogistics should begin exploring hotel options and presenting them to the committee. A decision on the hotel should be made by the end of this time period.20-17 Months OutStaff, if not done already, field trips and hospitality subcommittees.The Program sub-committee should explore and present speakers.Pre-workshop suggestions need to be presented to the committee.Field trips should begin exploring options and presenting them to the committee.Start to assemble your promotional lists.Logistics should finalize the hotel contract and begin planning on meetingconference accessibility issues16-13 Months OutPlan your program to be presented at the next conference, usually after the business lunchDecide on field trips, pre-workshops and speakers.Schedule speakersReview the budgetSet objectives for having contracts returned.12-10 Months OutCritique the last conference. Discuss as a committee what you liked and what you didn't. Make a punch list of things to do and not do at your conference.Create a plan to solicit donations.Grant opportunities should be explored.Outline a backup plan - different hotel, other speakers, plan for the worst. Have it made out and sitting on the shelf in case you need it.Implementation Phase: 10-8 Months OutReturn any grant applicationsLogistics receives the menu selections from the hotelLogistics contracts sign language interpretersField Trips contracts the field trip locationsPre-workshops contracts all pre-workshop presenters8-5 Months Out Registration begins writing the paper registration form and info. packet Hospitality contracts the after awards dinner entertainment Program subcommittee prepares and sends out the call for papers4 Months OutPrograms receives back session proposals3 Months OutSend notifications to those who submitted proposals (May want to save another step and also let them know the date, time, and location of their session. Otherwise, send another notification with this info at least 1 month in advance.Registration form goes live online (Note: This will depend on the NAI staff and they are quite busy with the National conference in October and November, so may be wise to send it to them by the end of September at the latest so they can build the online form, and then have it go live around December 1st.)2 Months OutProgram to PrintFinalization Phase:1 Month OutEarly registration deadline is reachedDecisions are made on accessibility needs Program returnedContact keynotes and special speakers as a final reminder3 Weeks OutHead counts for field trips and pre-workshops are checked through dashboardDecision made on which field trips and pre-workshops are cancelled Volunteer coordinator is assigning spots2 Weeks OutAwards Banquet program is completed with Region 6 Awards Chair1 Week OutPre-conference meeting takes place with the hotelHospitality begins collecting donations, buying materialsLast assignments and arrangements are made with the committeeHave fun!Appendix 2: National Office Contacts:The current list of NAI staff can be found at: 6 Officers and Board Contacts:The current list of Region 6 officers and board members can be found at: 6 Conference Sites & Schedule Since 2001: The conference rotates among the six states in our region in the order seen below: KS2001 (Manhattan) 2007* (none)2013 (Manhattan)2019 (Wichita)LA2002 (Baton Rouge)2009** (Shreveport)2015 (Natchitoches)2021 (Shreveport)OK2003 (Oklahoma City)2008**(Tulsa)2014 (Guthrie)2020 (Bartlesville)MO2004 (Blue Springs) 2010 (St. Louis) 2016 (Springfield)2022 TBDAR2005 (Fort Smith)2011 (Eureka Spgs)2017 (Rogers)2023 TBDTX2006 (Houston)2012 (Austin)2018 (Grapevine)2024 TBD* Not conducted due to the national conference in Wichita the same budget year and concern over the possible impact on attendance. On a similar occasion the members decided to still have the regional conference and there was no impact on attendance. Some members also prefer the smaller regional over the national conference. ** Swapped order to help LA due to state budget cuts and hurricane rebuilding. Louisiana has the lowest number of members in the region and therefore usually the lowest conference attendance. It also is a challenge to put together a committee.Appendix 3: Sample Volunteer Initial EmailHello!Thank you for checking the "Yes, I'll volunteer!" box on your NAI Region 6 Conference registration form! At the regional level, NAI is totally operated by volunteers. From the Board of Directors, to the Conference Planning Committee, to the on-the-floor volunteers (like you!), we all work together to make Region 6 one of the strongest regions in NAI.There are many ways to volunteer at this conference, and you can choose how much time you'll commit. Please read the following Frequently Asked Questions, then reply with your choices.What do I need to do right now?1) Read this entire email and the attached document. 2) Select the tasks/sessions (see the attached document) you'd prefer to work. 3) Email me your response. 4) Await a confirmation of your assignment(s) with further instructions.What's in it for me?For one thing, you get the warm-fuzzy feeling of being an NAI leader. But also, you'll receive (insert incentive here). You'll also receive a neat-o ribbon to attach to your name tag, indicating your ultra-cool status as a volunteer.What are the assignment choices?In accordance with NAI's mission to "inspire leadership and excellence to advance heritage interpretation as a profession," we have created professional-sounding volunteer categories. (Note: Students and other new interpreters may find these titles and job descriptions worthy of placement on a resume). And yes, you can volunteer in more than one area of specialty. Also, if you would like to volunteer for a task you don't see listed here, but you know needs doing, contact me and we'll see what we can work out. ?Concurrent Session Room Monitor When: During one or more concurrent sessions, throughout conferenceDuties: This is one of the most-needed areas for volunteerism. Room monitors should arrive slightly early for their assigned concurrent session, greet the presenter and help set up, start the session on time by introducing the presenter (we will provide an introductory paragraph), monitor the door for interruptions, give presenter "time almost up" signal, end session on time, distribute and collect program evaluation forms. Those forms are then relayed to the registration desk and the program sub-committee chair will see that each presenter gets them after being reviewed.?Registration /Information DeputyWhen: Various timesDuties: Assist Registration sub-committee with attendee check-in, distribution of swag bags and name tags, answering questions, and running errands. If you know a lot of Region Sixers, or if you want to meet a lot of Region Sixers, this is a great area to volunteer.?Hospitality SpecialistWhen: Various shifts throughout conference Duties: If you already plan to do a lot of networking in the Hospitality Suite anyway, consider signing up for a shift—you get to be there and pitch in while you're at it. We especially need coverage in the evenings. Hospitality Suite Specialists will assist the Hospitality Chair with set-up, decorations, refreshments, and other tasks. Hospitality Specialists will sometimes cover as Trading Post Associates (since the Trading Post is located inside the Hospitality Suite).?Auction AuthorityWhen: "Set-up—Monday afternoon," and/or "During—Monday evening" Duties: You can choose your duties. Auction Authorities will assist the Auction Chairs to set up the silent and live auctions, monitor the silent auction, monitor sign-in and bid number registration, "strut" items during the live auction, and assist with totaling and payment logistics. Extroverts do well in this area of volunteering. Dynamic individuals who prove adept at using their "outdoor voice" indoors may be selected as auctioneers.Director's Executive AssistantWhen: Be available about 30 minutes before the business meeting, typically on Monday at noon.Duties: Assist the Region 6 Director with last-minute logistics for the annual business meeting. Help set up, pass out printed materials, etc. May also assist the workshop committee for the next Region 6 conference, if needed, when they give a presentation about their conference and site.Awards Banquet AttendantWhen: Be available about 30 min. before Awards Dinner BanquetDuties: Assist the Region 6 Awards Chair with last-minute logistics for the Awards Banquet. Pass out programs and other duties as assigned.We hope you enjoy your experience as a volunteer and participant of this conference . If you have questions or comments, don't hesitate to contact me.Sincerely,(Name)Volunteer Coordinator, NAI Region 6 ConferenceSample Volunteer ConfirmationHi Mary:Thanks again for volunteering during the upcoming NAI Region 6 workshop. Your volunteer assignments are listed below. When you check in at the workshop, you'll receive more details in your registration packet about where to be, when, what your duties are, etc. Feel free to contact me if you need further information.Sincerely, (Name), Volunteer Coordinator, NAI Region 6 Conference(Voln. Name):room monitor—Session 2—Wayside Exhibits, Monday 2-2:45 p.m.room monitor-Session 4—Maximize Potential (MSRI), Monday 4-4:45 p.m.registration / information table, Monday 7-9 a.m.auction, Monday eveningDirector's assistant (business meeting), Monday 11:30 a.mAppendix 4:REQUEST FOR PROPOSALProposals Due: January 30, 2014Meeting Name: National Association for Interpretation (NAI) Region VI WorkshopAssociation Profile:The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is a professional association for those who interpret natural and cultural history in parks, zoos, museums, nature centers, aquaria, and other locations where visitors go for informational and educational programming or exhibits. Many of our members are park rangers, naturalists, interpreters, and those who manage parks, interpretive centers or visitor centers. NAI has nothing to do with language translation or interpretation for hearing impaired people. Currently we have approximately 5,000 members in 32 countries.Headquarter offices are located in Fort Collins, Colorado. Region VI of NAI is comprised of six states: Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Regional membership currently stands at approximately 500 people and institutions.Event Profile:We are seeking bids from convention centers, hotels, or combinations of the two that can accommodate a regional workshop in 2016 of approximately 150 people for four days that includes a two day trade show with up to ten exhibitors and vendors. In addition to two full days of meetings, we will need the ability to provide registration, exhibit booth move-in, possibly two meeting rooms for pre-workshop sessions, and one meeting room for a board meeting on the day prior to our full meeting. Meeting space and the trade show exhibit area may not be in separate facilities and the exhibit area may not be isolated from the rest of the workshop activities within the same facility.Traditionally the Region VI workshop occurs in late February or early March. Our meeting dates for 2016 are set for Sunday, February 21 – Wed., February 24.For more background information about our professional organization:Region VI web site: nairegion6.National web site: Site Selection Process:Cities interested in submitting proposals for hosting the NAI Region VI workshop on Feb. 21- 24, 2016 must:Submit a single proposal for meeting space and hotel rooms or set of proposals from qualified providers in a single package.Proposals should include information from no more than two host hotels and a convention center if there is not adequate meeting space at a single designated host hotel. Our preference is to meet in a single hotel.Address environmental policies and procedures such as:Has the property been certified green by a third-party organization? (If so, which one?)Have they established an environmental management program and training for staff?Does the venue routinely implement a recycling program? If not, is a recycling program available that they would be willing to implement for the NAI event?Are water conservation practices in place?Do hotels have a linen reuse program?Do they use environmentally friendly cleaning products?Are there food donation and composting programs in place?Each proposal will be screened by the Region VI workshop committee. After narrowing the field to several candidates, they will conduct on-site visits and select their top two locations. These two proposals will then be sent to NAI’s events manager for review. The Region VI workshop committee and the events manager will determine the best site for the workshop. Final selection will be subject to the negotiation of mutually satisfactory contracts.Pattern of Meeting Dates:The pattern typically begins on a Sunday and ends on the following Wednesday. This pattern can be somewhat flexible as long as the preferred dates are met. SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayboard meeting decorator set-up and exhibitor move-in registration/check-in pre-workshop sessions – tentative(2 rooms max., min. seating for 30, theater style) exhibit area open informal reception in exhibit area and/or hospitality suite (snacks and drinks donated by local businesses)breakfast (buffet prov. by hotel) registration/check-in exhibit area open plenary session break-out sessions (3-4 rooms, min. seating for 50, theater style) business meeting lunch (buffet prov. by hotel) break-out sessions scholarship auction and catered dinner at interpretive sitebreakfast (buffet prov. by hotel) 8-10 field trip sessions off-site (some boxed lunches prov. by hotel, no meeting room spaces needed) dinner on own breakfast (buffet prov. by hotel) break-out sessions lunch (buffet prov. by hotel) break-out sessions awards banquet (plated dinner or buffet option prov. by hotel) and dance – final event Guest Room Rates:Attendees at the workshop are primarily government employees and are either on a fixed training budget or are not subsidized by their employer for attending this workshop so guestroom rates are extremely important to our attendees. As a rate-conscious group, cities interested in submitting proposals should be prepared to offer their lowest available hotel rates. NAI will not sign contracts with a “not to exceed” annual percentage increase clause.Guest Room Block:Sun Mon Tues WedRooms (best estimate) 40 50 50 40 Access:Preferred sites will have:Easy and reasonably priced airport accessEither free airport shuttle service to and from the hotel or inexpensive transport to preclude the necessity of car rentalUniversal accessibility in all meeting and exhibit spaces and designated accessible guest rooms in the hotelsFacility Requirements:Guest Rooms:NAI will need an estimated 50 guest rooms on peak nights housed within two or fewer hotels. Guestroom rates should include the same negotiated workshop rates for participants arriving two days prior or staying two days after the event.Room Rates:Room rates are negotiable within the range of $80–$110/room per night with a flat rate for single, double, triple and quadruple occupancy preferred. A separate rate cannot be offered to government participants, unless the government rate is offered to all participants as the negotiated workshop rate (which is preferable). Contract must stipulate that all rooms rented by conference registrants will be credited toward the room block regardless of how the reservation is made to preclude third-party internet offers from affecting the room ps and Assistance:Those submitting proposals should offer:21-day cut-off date for group’s guest room blockMinimum of two complimentary rooms/night for student scholarship winners plus additional rooms if hotel is willing to provide moreOne complimentary hospitality suite or similar secure space for snacks and drinks including alcoholComplimentary, rebates, or subsidized rates for meeting rooms, breakouts, registration / office space, and general session and exhibit spaceMeeting space to be held on a 24-hour basisDiscounted or complimentary parkingMeeting Rooms:A minimum of three, and preferably four, breakout rooms of varying capacities (50–100 theater style) are needed. One large space must be able to seat our entire group banquet style, with a dance floor area, for our final event which will include a general session and plated meal. This space could serve dual purpose as the exhibit area as these two events will not overlap. We will also need a room for a plenary session that can seat the entire group theater style for the first morning’s keynote, or the ability for the hotel staff to quickly change the breakfast room set-up.Exhibit Area:The exhibit area must accommodate 8-10 exhibit booths, each with two 8’ dressed tables. The exhibit area must be either in the host hotel or in an adjacent convention center in close proximity to concurrent session rooms; it cannot be isolated from other workshop activities.Food & Beverage RequirementsFood Service:NAI must have on-site food and bar service available. Please indicate whether a complimentary breakfast is provided at the facility and what foods are offered with it. We may solicit donations of snacks and drinks from local businesses for our on-site hospitality suite and breaks and must be able to bring those items into the host site. The selected location would preferably have walking access to a variety of nearby, optional eating establishments for meals that are not included with registration costs.Catering:The caterer must have the ability to provide specialty catering for our events, either on-site or through ready access with contract services. The caterer must have experience serving vegetarian and vegan meals in large group settings—approximately 11% of our participants will opt for vegetarian or vegan meals and another 5% have special dietary needs that must be accommodated. The caterer would preferably have the ability to offer a menu that reflects seasonal, regional crops and have the ability to offer local specialty dishes and fresh fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices.Food and Beverage Volume:We usually schedule three breakfasts, two buffet lunches and one box lunch (number dependent upon number of field trip registrants and destinations), and one evening banquet consisting of the option of either a buffet or plated dinner. We estimate a minimum of seven meals, and would request the option to add more. We arrange the captive meals at or near the full attendance number (approx. 150 - 200).Field Trip Options:The geographical area must have potential for approximately 8-10 diverse field trip options within a 1.5 hour radius that include recreational, natural and cultural history sites, museums, and parks where NAI attendees can get a behind-the-scenes look at operations and enjoy the natural or cultural resources being interpreted. We prefer that the selected city have contract bus services with competitive pricing.Audio-Visual Equipment:NAI must retain the ability to provide much of our own basic AV equipment (i.e. easels/pads/markers, LCD players, and screens) without incurring a penalty for not using the equipment belonging to the hotel or convention center. Larger equipment (such as image magnification system, microphones, etc.) should be available either through the hotel/convention center or the contractor of NAI’s choice without incurring a penalty for not using the hotel/convention center on-site contractor.Union Labor:If union labor is required for any activity related to the conference, please so indicate in your proposal and tell us how it will impact our cost.Proposal Provisions:Initial proposals must provide a clear indication of the extent of the following:Meeting room spaceGuestroom availability and costSpecial considerations (parking, accessibility, availability of rebates or comp return rates)NAI’s preferred week blocked by hotel(s)Convention center rental and applicable rebatesGreen and sustainable elements of the proposed host propertiesInformation on union contracts within the properties that would impact NAI staff from moving our own equipment or materials into or within the eventInitial proposals should reflect the requirements in this request. Finalists will be selected from the proposals received by the deadline. Details will be negotiated with finalists and best and final offers may be requested in a second round, if the benefits are not evident after the first submittal.Site Selection & Contact:All site visits and negotiations will be handled by the workshop planning committee, who will visit locations that are willing to provide support for a tour of the facilities prior to site selection. No city or facility will be selected without a site visit.Proposal Deadline:Region VI workshop committee must receive proposals by (date). Questions may be directed to either of the workshop co-chairs indicated below.AddendumAttendee Profile:There will be approximately 150-200 participants in attendance. NAI’s members work as park and forest rangers, naturalists, site supervisors or superintendents, museum directors, and park managers in a wide variety of natural, cultural, and historical settings. About 75% of NAI members work for government agencies at federal, state, regional, and local levels. The others work for private nonprofit organizations or as consultants, vendors and suppliers of interpretive services or products. Participants at the Region VI workshop typically come from within a six state region comprised of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.Appendix 5:SCORE SHEETNAI REGION 6 HOTEL RFPDate FACILITY: DATE RECEIVED: FEATURE COMMENT 1Facility Combination of Convention Center & Hotel Hotel 1Hotel 2Hotel 3 2Preferred Week BlockedDates YesYesYes 21 day cutoff date14 day cutoff dateThe standard cutoff date is 30 days. If your group requires a 21 day cutoff date, we will make that concession.3Meeting Room Space Space for 150 People YesYesYes Number or Rooms 4 plus45 Four Days Available $8,000 food minimum forFree meeting space$15,000.00 food minimum for free meeting space. Amount reduced in addendum from $19,950.00.$13,000.00 food minimum for free meeting space 24 Hours Access toMeeting Rooms YesYesYes, our catering staff will work with you on what rooms will need to be held for 24 hours. If there are additional smaller rooms that we can turn over, it will be stated in the contract. Audio-Visual Provided Free Yes if use own A/V tech.No. Bring own or rent.But no fee for 2 built-in screens.No. Bring own or rent. No screens available. Free WiFi Availability YesYesYes 4Exhibit Space Available FreeFree$50.00/$35.00 per booth (lower fee w/out pipe and drape)5Guestroom Availability 50 Guest Rooms YesYesYes Available all 4 days YesYesYes Free WiFi YesYesYes 6Guest Room Rates Cost/rateTax is combined tax. Includes lodging tax and gov. tax. Might be able to get it lower if gov. tax is removed. Will address this later in final contract. $83.00 plus 15.4% taxeslocked in ($95.78), $93 poolside, pool view or courtyard. They split out half (25) our room # requests for double beds and half (25) for kings. Are they flexible in giving us more doubles? Yes.Offered to lock in group rate at 2016 government rate whatever that turns out to be. Estimated $94.00. 00 plus 12.23% taxes ($105.50)$89.00 plus 15.4% taxes locked in ($102.70) Double/Triple/Quadruple occupancy at same rate Yes for up to 4 persons.Yes for up to 4 persons.At Residence Inn can hold 5 per room (King Suites).Yes for up to 4 persons. Rates apply to all Registrants Yes and to rooms above amount reserved.Yes and to rooms above amount reserved.Yes and to rooms above amount reserved. Rates if reserved via third party or internet “Not to Exceed” Clause 7Special Considerations Parking FreeFreeFree Airport Shuttle Available Free Airport Shuttle Yes is scheduled.Yes if scheduled.Yes Accessibility – Guest Rooms YesYesYes Accessibility – Exhibit Area YesYesYes Accessibility – Meeting Rooms YesYesYes Accessibility – Dining Facility YesYesYES Complimentary Room # 2 rooms for 4 nights1 room/50 occupied2 rooms for 4 nights2 rooms for 4 nights andPresidential suite Hospitality Room and accessibility Yes/YesYes/YesYes/Yes Food Services Available Complimentary Full Hot BreakfastComplimentary Full Hot Breakfast.Restaurant is not open for lunch at this plimentary Full Hot Breakfast Dietary Options YesYesYes Bar Services YesYesYes Catering YesBuffet cost more than plated meal due to amount of food for buffet is more than plated meal even with staff fees.Yes Outside food/beverages YesYesYes8Convention Center Rental and Rebates 9Green & Sustainable Features Certified Green by third party No, not at this time but we are working towards that goal. Established environmental management program, training for staff Yes Established Recycling Program Willing to Implement Recycling program YesYesYes, we can offer water stations instead of water bottles and offer recycling receptacles along with the regular waste baskets. Linen & Towel Reuse program YesYes Water Conservation Program Yes Yes Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products used Yes, Ecolab Food Donation and Composting programs Oil recycling program, locally sourced products where available. Sustainable herb garden, utilizing organic compost, rain barrels and a/c condensation collection. Use of china/glass/silver in all areas including complimentary breakfast.YesYes, upon request the food from an event will be donated to a local food bank. We do not have a composting program in place. 10Union Contracts/Stipulations 11Provide Additional Resources 12Other Comments TOTALS ................
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