FOR CLOSE TO TWO DECADES…
Grant/Downing Education has been a trusted provider of services to the medical education world. We have organized and delivered conferences, congresses, satellite symposia and meetings of all sizes. Our core services include:
Selection
- Assist in identifying potential venues to ensure adequate meeting space, quality and amenities, sleeping room pattern, catering requirements, convenience of travel and cost
- Perform site inspections at top 2-3 venues
- Assist with contract negotiations
Record Keeping
- Maintain complete record of agreements, contracts, emails, etc.
- Maintain detailed financial records
- Perform daily off-site back up of meeting documentation
Administrative Functions
- Function as the central office for meeting correspondence
- Assume all responsibility for all inquiries from attendees, exhibitors, vendors, etc.
- Work with meeting committees
Registration Services
-
Manage pre-meeting registration and on-site registration services through a web-based system
-
Provide confirmations, payment receipts, proof of attendance, name badges and visa letter for international travel
-
Track multiple fee categories, segregation of members, non-members, guests, sponsors, etc.
Vendor Coordination & Management
-
Coordinate and manage outside vendors such as facilities, food and beverage, audio-visual, graphic design, printing, tradeshow, photographer, entertainment, customs brokers, DMC services, VAT specialists, security, transportation, staffing agencies, etc.
-
Obtain multiple bids and provide recommendations to the appropriate committees
-
Liaison with key vendors (i.e., technical director, graphic design firm, web team, etc.)
-
Continually manage usage of sleeping room block
-
Monitor calendar for attrition and cancellation thresholds
-
Mediate participant and commercial supporter needs required from facility
-
Provide food and beverage vendors up-to-date attendance estimates
Educational Programs
- Manage online scientific abstract collection, editing and formatting
- Manage notification to presenters of acceptance or rejection
- Liaison with CME provider to ensure compliance with ACCME guidelines
- Coordinate with speakers including creation and distribution of speaker guidelines
- Provide PowerPoint title slides of presentations and meeting-related events and announcements to enhance visual image
- Oversee production of Meeting Program book and other educational handouts
- Coordinate travel and communications with invited guest faculty
- Provide honoraria to invited guest faculty
- Provide welcome package to guest faculty and meeting participants upon arrival
- Solicit abstracts and handouts from faculty
Website Services
- Work with designers and web team to create a website to include Call for Papers, meeting registration, mobile app, hotel reservations, scientific program details, important dates, social events, commercial supporters’ information, exhibition hall floor plan, photography, offsite tours, etc.
Exhibitor/Sponsorship Management
-
Assist in establishing levels of sponsor support
-
Design and distribute exhibitor prospectus
-
Secure exhibitors and sponsors through personal communication, save-the-date announcements and exhibitor prospectus mailings
-
Collect commercial supporter fees and manage all pre-and post-conference communication with designated company contact
-
Evaluate proposals from qualified tradeshow vendors
-
Negotiate contract with selected tradeshow vendor
-
Provide exhibitor kits including a schedule, floor plan and shipping information
-
Develop ideas for promotional items to best showcase the meeting and its sponsors
-
Oversee the exhibition hall
-
Meet on-site needs
-
Create exhibition hall guide
-
Financial Management and Reporting
-
Maintain a complete set of records including all financial aspects
-
Develop an overall budget
-
Assist in establishing registration fees
-
Review and approve vendor invoices for payment
-
Maintain ongoing financial records
-
Prepare periodic updates to the budget
-
Maintain documentation for all income and expenses
Conference Promotion
- Work with graphic designers and printers on brochures, ads, registration packets, badges, signs
- Design logo and meeting letterhead
-
Secure mailing lists and coordinate mailings
-
Advertise conference in selected medical journal(s)
-
Establish website and mobile app for participant/exhibitor registration, abstract/poster/video submissions, hotel reservations and general meeting information
-
Solicit exhibitors/sponsors
On-Site Meeting Coordination
-
Arrive at venue prior to start of meeting to ensure arrangements are secured
-
Manage hotel support services on-site prior to guest arrivals and through guest departures as necessary
-
Identify ground transportation provider and coordinate ground transportation to/from off-site scheduled leisure activities
-
Coordinate staff members
-
Manage registration desk
-
Coordinate speaker-ready room
-
Arrange for miscellaneous personnel as needed
-
Work on-site with sales manager, caterer and ancillary venue staff
-
Coordinate catering (food and beverage) details
-
Ensure all lodging needs are fulfilled
-
Supervise exhibit space
-
Identify and recommend specifications for audio-visual equipment
-
Arrange live surgery
-
Arrange simultaneous translation
-
Arrange audience response system (ARS)
-
Arrange audiotaping and videotaping
-
Leisure activities
-
Arrange spouse/guest program
-
Organize group banquet functions/sightseeing activities, etc
