PIUG 2008 Annual Conference
An International Conference for Patent Information Professionals

20 Years of Patent Searching in a World of Emerging Technologies
Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of PIUG!

• 1 exhibit space, Sunday-Wednesday (6’ X 6’ X 8’ in height)
• 1 6-foot table
• 2 chairs
• 1 free meeting registration
• ¼ page ad in 2008 Annual Conference Meeting Book
• Inclusion in the Exhibit Hall information in the 2008 Annual Conference Meeting Book
• Recognition as an Exhibitor on the Annual Conference web page with abstract and link to company website
• Exhibitor ribbons for all company registrants
• One 5-minute product review during plenary session, time to be determined by Program Committee

WORKSHOPS - $1,000 per hour

In keeping with its mission to further develop members’ patent research and analysis skills, PIUG also offers the opportunity for companies to host workshops in conjunction with the Annual Conference. A company does not have to be a sponsor or exhibitor to apply for a workshop.

1. Basic Audiovisual package* for up to 50 people provided by Meeting Expectations, PIUG’s contracted audiovisual company.
2. An introductory Power Point Slide with your specific workshop information and your Organization’s Logo.
3. Inclusion in the meeting schedule on the PIUG website.
4. Inclusion in the meeting schedule in the 2008 Annual Conference Meeting Book.
5. Listing in Workshop announcements on the PIUG Discussion List.

Price does not include food, internet connection, or other setup. Equipment upgrades to accommodate larger audiences are available through Meeting Expectations at additional costs.

Workshop requests (form here) must be received by January 31, 2008, for full consideration.

* Basic Audiovisual for up to 50 people:

1 3500 lumen LCD Projector
1 8' Tripod Screen w/Skirting
1 Wired Handheld microphone
1 Wireless Lavaliere Microphone System
1 4 Channel Audio Mixer
1 Small Powered Speaker on Stand
1 set of cables
1 Laser pointer
1 technician on-site support

Tiered Sponsorship Opportunities

Please see Checklist for Sponsors/Exhibits for more deadline information.

Sponsorships

All Sponsors receive the following benefits:

• Recognition as a Sponsor in the 2008 Annual Conference Meeting Book
• Recognition as a Sponsor on the main page of the Annual Conference web page, with link to Sponsor website
• Recognition as a Sponsor in announcements on the PIUG Discussion List
• Sponsorship level noted on badge for all company registrants

Sponsorship Levels - Additional benefits for sponsors, based on sponsorship levels, and for exhibitors are outlined below:

EMERALD - $20,000 donation

• Sponsorship of a luncheon on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of the meeting with verbal acknowledgment during the plenary session
• Guaranteed 30 minute presentation during plenary session, to be approved by Planning and Program Committees
• $3000 credit toward workshop hourly charge of $1000 per hour for Guaranteed availability of 3 hours for a non-competing workshop, which may be multi-track.  Additional competing workshop time may be available beyond the 3 hours, depending on space and time, for the reduced sponsor hourly charge of $250 per hour. Workshop request must be received by January 31, 2008, for full consideration.
• Meeting Attendee List, approximately 2 weeks prior to the meeting
• One informational sheet provided by sponsor and approved by the PIUG Planning Committee to be placed in the PIUG Meeting Bags
• All Exhibitor benefits listed above with the following upgrades:
  • Two full page ads in PIUG 2008 Annual Conference Meeting Book
  • Double the exhibit space including two six foot tables and four chairs
  • Six free meeting registrations

DIAMOND - $15,000 donation

• Sponsorship of the Welcome Reception Sunday night
• Guaranteed 20 minute presentation during plenary session, as approved by Planning and Program Committees
• $3000 credit toward workshop hourly charge of $1000 per hour Guaranteed availability of 3 hours for a workshop. Additional workshop time may be available beyond the 3 hours, depending on space and time, for the reduced sponsor hourly charge of $250 per hour.  Workshop request must be received by January 31, 2008, for full consideration.
• All Exhibitor benefits listed above with the following upgrades:
  • One full page ad in PIUG 2008 Annual Conference Meeting Book
  • Five free meeting registrations

SAPPHIRE - $10,000 donation

• Sponsorship of a breakfast on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of the meeting, or the speaker dinner Saturday night
• Guaranteed 15 minute presentation during plenary session, as approved by Planning and Program Committees
• $2000 credit toward workshop hourly charge of $1000 per hour, depending on space and time, and additional workshop time for the reduced sponsor hourly charge of $250 per hour beyond 2 hours.  Workshop request must be received by January 31, 2008, for full consideration and will be contingent on space and time availability.
• All Exhibitor benefits listed above with the following upgrades:
  • One full page ad in PIUG 2008 Annual Conference Meeting Book
  • Four free meeting registrations in total

AMETHYST - $5,000 donation

• Sponsorship of a break on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of the meeting, or the Sunday volunteer luncheon or, in lieu of the cash donation, publish the Meeting Books or provide the Meeting Bags
• $1000 credit toward workshop hourly charge of $1000 per hour, depending on space and time, and additional workshop time for the reduced sponsor hourly charge of $250 per hour beyond 1 hour.  Workshop request must be received by January 31, 2008, for full consideration and will be contingent on space and time availability.
• All Exhibitor benefits listed above with the following upgrades:
  • One half page ad in PIUG 2008 Annual Conference Meeting Book
  • Two free meeting registrations in total

Please note that the Program Committee reserves the right to consider abstract submissions from all sponsors and exhibitors based on their merits as technical talks. Please contact a member of the Program Committee if you have questions.

Please note that sponsors and exhibitors are prohibited from holding events outside of the sponsor, exhibitor and workshop contracts in the Crystal City/Washington DC area May 15th – May 25th, without prior written approval from the PIUG Board of Directors.

Contracts for Sponsors and Exhibitors

Note: this contract must be signed by all sponsors and exhibitors.

Sponsorships are available on a first come, first served basis at the discretion of the Planning Committee. Sponsorship preferences will be considered and assigned in the order that applications are received. Receipt of your application will be confirmed via email. An invoice will be sent shortly thereafter for your review and execution and all payments will be due in full prior to the meeting per the terms of the agreement. Sponsorships are not considered secure until PIUG has received and confirmed acceptance of a signed, written agreement. Please also note that any special events, such as organized social events or training seminars during and around the conference days, must be formally pre-approved by the Planning Committee.

We encourage our sponsors and exhibitors to submit an abstract for presentation. Please note that the Program Committee reserves the right to consider abstract submissions from all sponsors and exhibitors based on their merits as technical talks. Please contact a member of the Program Committee if you have questions.

We hope you will decide to support the excellent technical programming of the PIUG, designed to provide new learning and networking opportunities for the patent information community. We look forward to hearing from you or your staff on or before April 6, 2008 on your positive decision to support the 2008 PIUG Conference at Crystal City, Virginia.

Please note that sponsors and exhibitors are prohibited from holding workshops and other events within 50 miles of the conference site during the conference week and the three days preceding and following the conference, unless agreed to in writing by the PIUG Planning Committee or formally agreed to in the sponsorship contract. Please see the sponsors/exhibitors contract for more details.

Related Information for Sponsors and Exhibitors

• Sponsorship/Exhibit Contract – This contract must be signed by all sponsors and exhibitors.
  
• Electrical Services Order Form – Required for ordering electrical service for the exhibit.
  
• Telephone Service Order Form – Use this form to place order for broadband access and telephone service for exhibits.
  
• Audiovisual Equipment Form – Use this form to place order for any audiovisual needs for the exhibit.
  
• Information for Shipping to the Hotel – See this for shipments of any exhibit related items to the Hotel.
  
• PIUG Exhibition Internet Order Form – Required of all exhibitors who wish to participate in the Shared Internet Service offered by Swisscom at Hyatt Hotel during the conference.
• Check List for Sponsors/Exhibits – Refer to this document for items related to sponsorship/exhibits.
  

2008 PIUG Exhibits Committee

Helen Yun (yunhelen @ yahoo.com; +1 908-740-3595), Chair
Barbara Burg

2008 PIUG Sponsorship Committee

Denise Fobare-DePonio (DeniseFD @ aol.com; +1 805-750-7373), Chair
Luisa Balasta
Ken Hoppe
Mike Mullican
Jane Thompson
Martin Wallace

© 2008 The Patent Information Users Group, Inc. – PIUG Website Committee
Webmaster: Tom Wolff (piugwebmaster @ gmail.com): – Updated: 6 May 2008