The executive office staff's expertise in site selection and contract management can be a valuable resource to the ICASSP Committee. Contact the Executive Officer very early in the ICASSP planning stages, definitely before the convention center and hotel(s) are selected. The Executive Officer should review all contracts before they are executed. The Executive Officer may be able to assist in determining the suitability of the facilities.
As soon as a committee member experiences contract difficulties, contact should be made with the Executive Officer. The power of the IEEE is greater than the power of a single committee member, and the problem may melt away with a judiciously placed phone call.
The executive staff can supply copies of manuals, Conference Board minutes, samples of contracts, the IEEE Technical Meetings Organization Manual and the numerous IEEE forms. They keep up-to-date lists of all Society committee members, and can supply you with names, addresses, and electronic mail destinations for them. When they do not know the answer to your question, they can probably refer you to someone who does.
IEEE is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and, as such is exempt from Federal tax as well as sales taxes in several states (NJ, NY, and others). Please be sure that your contracts reflect this sales-exempt status. Copies of exemption forms can also be provided by the staff. IEEE's not-for-profit status will also have a positive effect on your postage rates. Please contact the staff if you require further information on how to have calls, announcements, and programs mailed through the IEEE facilities to take advantage of these postage rates.
IEEE requires a staff signatory on all conference bank accounts, to protect the conference funds. The SPS has designated its Executive Officer as the Society's staff signatory. Please be sure that signature cards are provided at the time the account is opened.