Organizing an ACM/SIG Conference

Annual Sponsored Conferences: Organizers should submit the Preliminary Approval Form (PAF) at least 24 months prior to the conference start date. The PAF is only valid for annual sponsored meetings that have received prior approval from ACM. Once the PAF has been granted endorsement by ACM/SIG, organizers should begin completing the Technical Meeting Request Forms (TMRF). The TMRF should be submitted at least 12 months prior to the conference start date.

Newly Sponsored Conferences: Organizers must submit the 3-Section Sponsored Technical Meeting Request Forms (TMRF) via email or through our Online Submisssion System at least 12 months prior to the conference start date.

Note: Official ACM approval may take up to 4 weeks (this includes reviewing submitted documents and obtaining necessary approvals). If during this time, you have questions contact Maritza Nichols.

Mini-Technical Meeting Request Form: If there is a sponsored workshop(s) held in conjunction with the Sponsoring Conference, a Mini-TMRF is required for each workshop. This is considered an addendum to the conference TMRF. As such, the conference chair is responsible for the workshop under the terms of the "Statement of Understanding" of the conference TMRF. It is assumed that the workshop will have no (or minimal) fixed costs. (The workshop chair should contact the parent conference chair for information on costs of meals and local arrangements) Registration, local arrangements, bank account (an ACM in-house bank account must be utilized by the Workshop, no exceptions) and publicity will be handled through the parent conference. Workshops budgeting funds for significant committee travel or proceedings beyond handouts for attendees should file a full TMRF. Also, all workshop chairs should check with the sponsoring SIG (http://www.acm.org/sigs/guide98.html) to confirm if there is any initial information that must be proposed to the SIG Leaders prior to submitting the Mini-TMRF to ACM.

In-Cooperation Technical Meeting Request Form

http://www.acm.org/sig_volunteer_info/conference_manual/incoop.html

Joint Sponsorship Agreement Form / Memo of Understanding - When more than one society is involved in the sponsorship of any event, certain details regarding financial and legal liabilities, asset ownership and rights, copyrights and permissions, decision making, budget and contract approvals, and withdrawal or termination of sponsorship need to be outlined in writing before the conference is approved.In general, the following principles should apply to any event co-sponsored with another society and/or organization:

• The organization must be incorporated and tax exempt (non-profit).
• The societies/organizations will share the legal and financial liabilities to the same extent that they share the net revenue.
• There should be representatives from each society/organization on the conference planning and steering committee.
• The copyrights will be alternated between the societies year to year with distribution and reprint rights granted freely to the other sponsors.
• All assets and tangible by products related to or generated by the conference shall be the property of the sponsors in proportion to the percentage sponsorship.

• Financial matters (budgets, bank accounts, investments and audits) shall be joint decisions of the sponsors.
• All changes in the TMRF and Joint Sponsorship terms will be in writing and will be approved by all sponsors
  

• Must be a previously sponsored/co-sponsored ACM/SIG event
• Conference banking information must be completed
• General Chair and Treasurer must be listed along with a valid ACM Membership Number
• Contact Ashley Cozzi (1-212-626-0614) regarding all Hotel Site Selections/Contracts once PAF has been endorsed by the Sponsoring SIG units.
  
• ACM will obtain endorsements(s) from the sponsoring SIG Conference Approver.
• Submit PAF to Maritza Nichols via email or through our On-Line Submission System. Once preliminary endorsement has been granted, ACM will forward an electronic email to the Conference Contract Person. At that time, the organizers may distribute the Call for Papers for the conference. The form also provides information to ACM so that your conference listings are submitted to the Calendar Section of the Communications of the ACM (CACM) and your conference appears on the calendar for ACM Conferences to avoid overlapping dates with other ACM conferences.

Requirements for the Technical Meeting Request Forms (TMRF)

• If a Joint Sponsorship Agreement is required please contact the appropriate ACM/SIG Liaison (see below).
• The conference Program Chair should contact Adrienne Griscti, Proceedings Coordinator, (1-212-626-0615) for the Conference Proceedings Time Line and Procedures.
• On-Line Submission and Email copies of the TMRF are accepted. Please contact Maritza Nichols if you have any questions.  Obtaining official ACM approval may take approximately 4 weeks.

Contact information for all other conference activities are below:

In order for conference organizers to utilize ACM FedEx Kinko's account contact Maritza Nichols at least 2 weeks prior to the conference start date (no less than 1 week before the start of your conference).  Accounts cannot be established earlier than 4 weeks from the conference start date.  Every Event Chair is required to fill out a request form in order to set up an account.