Auditors OK DoD Conference Policy

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Originally posted on FederalTimes.com by Nichole Blake Johnson

The Pentagon's conference spending policy generally aligns with government wide standards, and in some instances, exceeds them, a review has determined.

The Office of Management and Budget's 2012 policy is the benchmark.

DoD requires senior-level review and and pre-approval of all conference-related costs, while OMB requires senior-level review of conferences only when the estimated costs exceed $100,000, according to the Government Accountability Office report. DoD also aligns with OMB policy by publicly reporting annual conference costs. In addition, the department requires quarterly internal reporting of conference costs.

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Federal scientists crying foul over DATA Act’s conference restrictions

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A group of federal scientists is concerned that proposed restrictions on federal employees attending conferences could put scientific research behind the curve.

The Assembly of Scientists wrote to the two top senators on the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee last week, arguing that the Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act would likely lead to a "decline in the productivity, creativity, morale, recruitment and retention" of many of the government's top scientists.

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“New Culture of Restraint” In U.S. Government Spending

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Originally posted by International Meetings Review

At a Senate hearing on government conference and travel spending this past week, top administration officials and three inspectors general described "a new culture of restraint" in federal spending on events, triggered by both bad publicity and sharp spending cuts, the Washington Post has reported.

In the wake of the Internal Revenue Service and the General Services Administration conference scandals, Washington has unveiled safeguards to prevent abuses--but some of these were deemed restrictive by industry professionals. At PCMA's Convening Leaders conference, David Peckinpaugh, president of Maritz Travel and co-chair of the recently launched Meetings Mean Business coalition, noted the general spending limit of $500,000 for government conferences, calling it "onerous." The cost of a conference, he said, depends on its size and the number of attendees. Under these restrictions, he added, some federal events were canceled.

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Checklist: 10 Vital Things to Have on Your Event Web Site

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Originally posted on BizBash by Jenny Berg

A well-planned Web site can be a highly effective tool in engaging an event's audience, boosting ticket sales, or relaying information to those who weren't able to attend. We asked Web design and event planning pros to share tips on Web site essentials. Here are 10 things to include on your event Web site.

1. A clear description of the event's purpose 
It sounds basic, but don't forget to offer a quick event overview. "Event Web sites often lack a simple and clear description of what the event is about and who would get the most value from attending," says Eric Downs of Grain & Mortar, a strategy, branding, and design company.

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Senate Committee Examines Government Meetings

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Originally posted on Meetings & Conventions by Cheryl-Anne Sturken

On Jan. 14, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing on "Examining Conference and Travel Spending Across the Federal Government," and M&C listened in, following the no-holds-barred proceedings, which at times were downright contentious.

The committee, led by Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), heard testimony on the steps being taken to cut government meetings spending from Beth Cobert, deputy director of management for the Office of Management and Budget; Dan Tangherlini, administrator of the General Services Administration; and inspectors general for the Department of Justice, the General Services Administration and the Internal Revenue Service.
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