Corporate Support - Industry Supported Events

Provide meeting attendees with an informative, one and a halfto three-hour satellite symposium, coordinated by your company. To participate, an Industry Supported Event proposal must be submitted for acceptance. Exhibition at the meeting is not required in order to host an Industry Supported Event.

 Download Application to Host Industry Supported Event

The APSS defines an Industry Support Event as:

• An educational program that is commercially supported.
• An educational program that may or may not offer continuing medical education credit for physicians.
• An educational program that is planned and implemented by an organization other than the APSS.
• An educational program that is not part of the official APSS scientific program, but is held in conjunction with the SLEEP 2012 meeting.
• An educational program planned for a 1.5-3 hour time period during the allowable dates below

Attendance at previous Industry Supported Events has ranged from 200-300 participants. The APSS does not guarantee attendance levels at Industry Supported Events.

Available Dates and Times

The APSS is accepting applications for both morning and evening Industry Sponsored Events. The following dates and times are available*:

*Industry Supported Events may not begin earlier than the times indicated above, including registration.

Industry Supported Events Sponsorship Fee

The sponsorship fee for holding a morning Industry Supported Event is $12,000. The fee for holding an evening Industry Supported Event is $20,000. A commercial company may opt to host one (1) morning event and one (1) evening event for a sponsorship fee of $30,000. Of this, $2,000 must be submitted with the application.

If the Industry Supported Event is approved, the remaining balance is due by Monday, February 29, 2012. The deposit of $2,000 is fully refundable in the instance an Industry Supported Event application is not accepted.

The sponsorship fee includes: consideration of proposal by the APSS Program Committee, one complimentary rental of the pre-registration mailing list, a link to the organizer’s website, one 1/3 page ad in the SLEEP 2012 Final Program (placement is at the discretion of the APSS), and inclusion in one SLEEP 2012 pre-meeting e-blast that goes out to all pre-registered attendees (email is distributed by the APSS and content is at the discretion of the APSS). If you plan to create any enduring materials based off of your Industry Supported Event, you must notify the APSS within 90 days following SLEEP 2012.

Submission Deadline

In addition to the application, the proposal must contain the following information:

• Event Speakers and Contact Information
• Event Outline and Schedule
• Content Description

Proposals for Industry Supported Events should be submitted to the APSS Meeting Department by December 30, 2011. Applications will be accepted after this date if the SLEEP 2012 meeting can support additional sessions based on submissions that have already been received and accepted.

Faculty Selection Criteria

The APSS strongly recommends that organizers require their faculty to be committed to no more than two Industry Supported Events, regardless of the named industry supporter or organizing company. Further, faculty names must be, at a minimum,tentatively confirmed and listed as part of the application in order to be considered. Upon review of the applications, the Program Committee may elect to offer feedback to Industry Supported Event organizers if potential speaker overlap is apparent. However, it is the responsibility of the speaker to make arrangements if they are ultimately scheduled to present in overlapping events.

Selection and Scheduling Procedures

Industry Supported Events are reviewed and accepted by the APSS Program Committee. The Committee accepts Industry Supported Events based on content, agenda and overall coordination with the SLEEP 2012 meeting. The APSS currently does not limit the number of Industry Supported Events accepted. The Program Committee reserves the sole right to accept and schedule all Industry Supported Events. In an effort to encourage attendance at these events, the Program Committee attempts to schedule similar sessions on different days.

Scheduling is primarily based on a first-come, first-served basis. Notification of acceptance and assigned date/time will be provided in writing at the end of January 2012. The balance of the sponsorship fee will also be invoiced at this time and is due by Monday, February 29, 2012.

Cancellation

Notice of cancellation must be submitted in writing. The cancellation of an Industry Supported Event that has been accepted is entitled to a refund equal to 30% of the total sponsorship fee provided notice is received prior to Monday, April 2, 2012. Cancellations after April 2, 2012, are not entitled to a refund.

Continuing Medical Education

Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit is not provided by the APSS or the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for Industry Supported Events. Those who elect to offer CME credit must obtain sponsorship from another Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) accredited provider. All Industry Supported Events offering CME credit must comply with the ACCME Essential Areas and Elements and the Standards for Commercial Support for Continuing Medical Education.

Logistical Planning

The following, if applicable, including all expenses, become the responsibility of the Industry Supported Event organizers:

• Meeting space (site selection and contracts)
• Audiovisual
• Catering
• Decorating
• Transportation
• Entertainment

The APSS Meeting Department will assist when possible in securing meeting space at the headquarter hotel or overflow hotels if requested. Below please find a list of the APSS contracted properties*:

1. Sheraton Boston Hotel - HEADQUARTER HOTEL
2. Hilton Boston Back Bay
3. Marriott Boston Copley Place
4. Westin Copley Place Hotel

Details of the final logistics for an Industry Supported Event must be submitted to the APSS Meeting Department no later than March 26, 2012.

*The APSS must approve all affiliate requests for function space and guest room accommodations at properties with which it has contractual obligations.

Signage

The APSS allows ONE sign measuring no larger than 24” x 36” to be placed in the registration area at Hynes Convention Center up to one day prior to the scheduled Industry Supported Event program. Organizers of an Industry Supported Event may provide additional signage in the hotel where the program is being held, and must follow the guidelines of the hotel. Signage may not be placed in hotels other than the one hosting the Industry Supported Event. All signage must receive APSS approval prior to print. Flyers or handouts are prohibited unless prior approval is obtained.

Promotion

Industry Supported Event organizers have the following opportunities to advertise an event: mailing list rental of SLEEP 2012 meeting attendees, mailing list rental of SRS/AASM membership lists and advertising in the SLEEP 2012 Final Program. The APSS requires that any and all promotion of Industry Supported Events receive APSS approval. Organizers should allow one business week for the approval process. Please keep the approval process in mind when planning promotional materials so as not to strain design and print timelines.

Promotional materials include but are not limited to: invitations, announcements, solicitations, advertisements and signage. Contact the APSS Meeting Department or visit the SLEEP 2012 website at www.sleepmeeting.org for additional information on promotional opportunities.

Use of APSS and SLEEP 2012 Name and Logo

The APSS and SLEEP 2012 name, logo, acronym and any reference to the meeting are proprietary and may not be used in signs, advertisements or promotions without consent and approval by the APSS. This guideline applies before, during and after the SLEEP 2012 meeting.

Questions

All questions regarding Industry Supported Events may be directed to Kathy Lovato, Meeting Planner, at (630) 737-9700 or klovato@aasmnet.org.