[Fwd: Re: [emergency-adopt-events] Status of Host Location for Fall Event]

["Jane Harnad" <jane.harnad@oasis-open.org>]

Dear Committee Members,

I wanted to pass along an update on the venue search for our fall EM
event.  During our last call, the group passed along three new venue
options for me to research.  Those options included:

- George Washington University (or other local area universities)
- The Jefferson Auditorium
- and the National Science Museum

Below is an update on this new venue search:

- George Washington University.  They do have space; however, our
organization would have to be sponsored by a student body organization
because the timeframe we're looking at is during their school year.

- The Jefferson Auditorium.  They also have space available; however, they
do not have two consecutive days available in the months of September and
October.  They also require government agency sponsorship.

- The National Science Museum.  I have tried reaching different indiviuals
at the facility; however, I haven't had any luck so far.  Does anyone from
the committee have any contacts that might help me get further?

Please let me know.  Regards, Jane


At 5:05 PM -0400 6/15/09, Jane Harnad wrote:
>Dear Emergency Management Committee Members,
>
>Dee Schur forwarded the notes from the last
>Member Section conference call.  The notes
>addressed concerns with the Emergency Management
>Adoption Event Sub-Committee's approval to
>attempt to secure a facility in the
>Gaithersburg, MD area.  Unfortunately, it sounds
>like the Event Sub-Committee (SC) and Member
>Section (MS) are NOT on the same page.  In an
>effort to re-connect everyone, I'm addressing
>this email to the MS, Event SC, and Adoption TC.
>Please be sure to let me know if anyone else
>needs to be involved in this decision-making
>process because I don't want to waste any more
>time on miscommunication.  In addition, I'd like
>to arrange a special conference call this
>Wednesday at 2:00 PM ET to address the issues
>noted below, as well as any other event-related
>concerns.
>
>Background on why the DHS facilities didn't work out:
>
>1.       Space Availability - only one DHS
>facility in the DC area was able to accommodate
>the space required for both the conference and
>interoperability demonstration - the NOAA
>facility in Silver Springs, MD
>2.       Lack of Internet Access - for security
>reason, no internet would be available to
>conference participants (interoperability
>demonstrations would have to be deleted from the
>program, as many vendors require internet access
>to prove interactive data retrieval)
>3.       No September Dates - the only dates
>NOAA had available were October 15-16, which are
>also very close to both the NEMA & IAEM events
>
>Background on the hotel search & obstacles:
>
>1.       Available Space & Dates - at last
>check, no hotels in the Crystal City area had
>space available in the Sept/Oct timeframe for
>our event
>2.       Sleeping Room Guarantees - many hotels
>won't allow clients to book meeting room space
>without guaranteeing a certain number of
>sleeping rooms each night, which would expose
>OASIS to financial liability
>3.       Catering - lunch would be a requirement
>each day or a higher room rental fee would be
>charged (again exposing OASIS to financial
>liability)
>4.       Internet Access - most hotels will
>require payment for Internet access, which may
>prove to be very expensive (audio visual will
>also be an expense)
>
>Reasons why the sub-committee decided on the
>NIST facility:
><http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/gallery/adbldg1.htm>http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/gallery/adbldg1.htm
>
>
>Accessibility - DC metro area, metro
>accessibility with complimentary shuttle
>service, free parking, shuttle service would be
>provided by OASIS - to & from host hotel(s)
>Space Availability - auditorium,
>interoperability demonstration room, and
>registration/break area would be made available,
>free of charge
>Catering - coffee, continental breakfast, and
>luncheon options are available for fee as a
>group or on an individual basis (by the attendee)
>Audio Visual Equipment - standard audio visual
>equipment would be made available, free of charge
>Internet Access - wireless Internet access is
>available to everyone in the conference
>facility, free of charge
>Hotel Sleeping Room Rates - NIST would allow us
>to use their rate at two area hotels ($119
>holiday inn & $140 marriott) with no guarantee &
>liability to OASIS
>
>* Additional benefit:  The event would be held
>in conjunction with the OASIS Identity
>Management Conference.
>
>Budget Issues:
>
>It was noted that the MS agreed to put aside 20K
>to sponsor the event.  Although this is terrific
>news, and would cover most of the costs
>associated with a DHS or NIST hosted event; it
>would only cover a portion of the anticipated
>costs for an event held at a hotel.  Below is a
>rough breakdown of possible hotel expenses for
>your review.
>
>Based on 200 people (below are estimates only):
>
>Coffee Breaks = $1,200 each day @ 2 days = $ 2,400
>Room Rental (with lunch) = $2,500 each day @ 2 days = $5,000
>Luncheons = $ 7,000 each day @ 2 days = $14,000
>Audio Visual = $2,300 each day @ 2 days = $4,600
>Internet = $4,000 ($20 per guest) = $4,000
>
>The total estimate above comes to roughly 30K.
>This doesn't include OASIS staff time, printing,
>marketing, reception, and/or other event-related
>expenses.  A hotel-hosted event would most
>likely cost us about 20K per day in the DC area,
>which means 40K would need to be secured at the
>time of booking.
>
>BTW:  This was the main reason we originally
>decided to shift our focus to a member facility
>(cutting anticipated expense in half).
>
>What's next?
>
>In order for us to move forward with the dates
>reserved at the NIST facility - 29 & 30 of
>September, we need to have a final decision made
>no later than the end of this week. If the
>decision is to cancel that space, we'll need to
>begin our search from scratch again.  The search
>will include ideas from the Committee on other
>member hosts, locations in the area (other than
>Crystal City), new dates, etc?  Starting the
>search over again will most likely prevent us
>from launching the event dates & location prior
>to the start of the summer season (as originally
>planned).  This will also hurt our production
>timeline, and therefore most likely force us to
>shift potential event dates to late October &/or
>November (of course bringing up other conflicts
>- such as competing events, holidays, etc?).  If
>we do decided to move forward with the space at
>NIST - preliminary details on the event are
>ready to be announced.  We're putting the
>finishing touches on the overall event
>description, expected audience, and website now.
>The current plan was to launch the event this
>week.
>
>As a reminder, I'd like to arrange a special
>conference call this Wednesday at 2:00 PM ET to
>address these and other issues regarding the
>event.  Please let me know if you are unable to
>attend.
>
>Thank you, Jane
>
>


-- 
Rex Brooks
President, CEO
Starbourne Communications Design
GeoAddress: 1361-A Addison
Berkeley, CA 94702
Tel: 510-898-0670


Jane Harnad
Manager of Events, OASIS
jane.harnad@oasis-open.org
Office Hours:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday