Annual Convention

2009 Call for Presentations

The Associated General Contractors of America's 90th Annual Convention/CONSTRUCTOR Expo 2009 — "Let's Build"

You've spent years honing your skills and expertise as a construction industry professional. Now share your knowledge and experience with your peers by submitting a proposal for consideration as a presenter at AGC's 90th Annual Convention/CONSTRUCTOR Expo.

AGC of America will host its 90th Annual Convention/CONSTRUCTOR Expo in San Diego, California, March 4–7, 2009. All events will take place at the San Diego Convention Center.

An important purpose of AGC's Annual Convention is to provide high–quality educational sessions for construction professionals across all industry segments. At the same time AGC wishes to afford Convention attendees the opportunity to earn valuable continuing education units from AGC and other CEU sponsors. Your proposal(s) for presentation(s) should be of an educational nature; should focus on current or emerging industry or management issues; best practices; challenges facing the construction industry; and should relate to the "Let's Build" theme of AGC's 2009 Annual Convention.

NB: Proposals submitted with sales pitches for products or services will not be accepted!

AGC's 90th Annual Convention/CONSTRUCTOR Expo is designed for all construction professionals who work in any of the commercial construction markets—building, federal, heavy, highway & transportation, and municipal & utilities. Attendees include:
CEOs
Owners
Safety Engineers
Project Managers
Supervisors
CFOs
Construction Managers
HR Directors
Marketing Directors
IT Professionals
Equipment Manufacturers and Suppliers
General Contractors
Specialty Contractors
Consultants

The educational sessions at the Convention and during the Expo must meet the broad demands of our attendees. Below is a list of educational session topics our past attendees have asked to see at AGC's upcoming 90th Annual Convention. This guidance comprises data obtained from an Annual Convention Survey conducted by AGC of America in April 2008 and from member suggestions. Within the framework described below, we invite you to submit a proposal on one or more of the following topics:

  • Building Information Modeling (BIM)
  • Business Development and Marketing
  • Contracting Techniques and Negotiation Strategies (especially using ConsensusDOCS contracts)
  • Hot Construction Markets
  • Emerging Technologies and Products
  • Environmental Issues: Green Building/LEED
  • BRAC/Military Construction Markets
  • Financial Planning/Management
  • New Techniques for Successful Project Management
  • Human Resource and Career Development in Construction
  • Information Technology Trends
  • New Trends in Project Delivery: Lean Construction; Integrated Project Delivery
  • Risk Management and Insurance
  • Safety Training (all areas)
  • Workforce Development, Retention and Diversity
  • Robotics in Construction
  • How the World of Construction Will Look in the Year 2058

SCOPE

We invite proposals for educational sessions at the Convention, either as part of a Track, as a stand–alone Convention session, or during the CONSTRUCTOR Expo. See below for information on the different formats and criteria for each.

Educational Tracks/Sessions in the Convention

As is customary, AGC will offer within the Convention program schedule five (5) Convention Tracks. Each Track will be comprised of five (5) sessions, with each session scheduled for ninety (90) minutes duration. AGC's 90th Annual Convention/CONSTRUCTOR Expo 2009 Tracks will be:

Executive Management | Financial Management | Risk Management
Marketing | Workforce and Career Development

Executive Management Track
Sessions in this track should provide mid– to senior–level construction executives with strategies for leading their organization. Successful sessions would include strategies and practical information on leading, developing, and motivating employees at all levels of a construction firm; building high–performance teams of diverse employees; understanding and anticipating changes in the global business environment that may impact the firm's future direction; leading employees through change; and dealing with non–performers or under–achieving employees.

Financial Management Track
The focus should be on construction CEOs who would like to better understand their bottom line, along with simple tips and techniques to help owners control costs. Session topics can range from human resources to equipment costing and insurance, all with an eye toward how these costs add or subtract value from a company's profitability. The sessions are not intended for CPAs or CFOs; rather they are business strategies and solutions that CEOs can take back to their companies and perhaps further investigate with their accounting professional.

Risk Management Track
The Risk Management track should include a broad cross–section of programs on the insurance that AGC members typically require and how to procure it. Sessions should focus on alternative means of financing insurable risks and on best practices for managing uninsurable risks (whether operational, legal or reputational). AGC favors programs appropriate for middle market contractors, that help its members set priorities and identify immediate actions they can take, and that cover all relevant lines of insurance coverage. Topics to address might include high deductible plans, group captive insurance companies, or misconduct or loss of key personnel that could threaten a contractor with suspension, debarment or even criminal prosecution. AGC understands that its Risk Management Track cannot cover all of these topics, and will select the best proposals that collectively achieve an appropriate balance.

Marketing Track
Every member company must market itself to stay or grow in business. Yet not every member company has marketing expertise or staff solely committed to staying current on marketing trends and new practices. This popular track should focus on methods that will help construction companies promote themselves and increase their bottom line. Those participating will be mid– to senior–level executives, with more than basic marketing knowledge. These sessions should introduce new tactics, or bring little–known techniques to light.

Workforce and Career Development Track
Sessions for consideration in this track should address techniques for attracting and retaining top talent, strategies for educating employees at all levels, new technologies for delivering education and training, and ways to improve job satisfaction and morale among employees and increase employees' motivation and efficiencies. Other topics include ethics in training, instructional strategies, delivery methods and market trends.

A proposer may submit a proposal for an entire Track (5 sessions) or for one session as part of the educational Track, or as a stand–alone presentation outside of the educational Tracks.

AGC will provide room setup and equipment as follows for each educational session at its Convention: a head table, a lectern with microphone, and a data projector. The audience seating will be arranged in a "theater" format with multiple rows of chairs. Any additional audio–visual (AV) or setup requirements should be stated in the proposal.

Proposals for Educational Sessions during the Convention must adhere to the following criteria:

  • All presentations submitted should be designed to fill ninety (90)–minute educational sessions.
  • Educational sessions may be conducted in a variety of formats, including presenter–led (single presenter) or a panel format.
    • If the panel format is selected, the panel should consist of three (3) to six (6) participants, including the moderator or chair. Panel members should be prepared to provide their views on a common theme, issue or question and then discuss them with panel members. In an effort to present differing viewpoints, it is a requirement that not all panel members be from the same organization.
  • Regardless of format, the instructional methods used during the session should provide opportunities for students to be actively involved and interact with the material and presenters, as well as with other students where appropriate.
  • All presenters must provide clear and concise written statements of intended learning outcomes or objectives for each session. These should be proportionate to the duration of the session. These statements must reflect what the students will achieve by participating in this session.
  • All presenters should provide handouts for students to supplement the learning experience. The presenter should submit sample handouts electronically with his/her proposal and then is responsible for submitting all final handouts electronically by December 15, 2008 for AGC approval. AGC will make all approved handouts available to students.
  • All presenters must provide their own laptop, if one is needed, for the presentation.
  • All presenters and panel members are expected to demonstrate high standards of professional conduct. Discrimination against students on the basis of gender, age, socio–economic or ethnic background, sexual orientation, or disability will not be tolerated.
  • All selected presenters will be required to sign a Presenters Agreement with AGC of America.
  • AGC reserves the right to use presenter materials for non–commercial purposes for one year from the date of presentation.
  • All presentations will be scheduled for a time mutually agreed upon between AGC and the proposer. Sessions may be scheduled as early as 1:00pm Wednesday, March 4, and as late as 1:30pm Friday, March 6.

AGC CONSTRUCTOR Expo—Educational Sessions as Part of the Trade Show

AGC intends to offer educational sessions in alignment with the AGC CONSTRUCTOR Expo. The educational offerings within the AGC CONSTRUCTOR Expo should be "cutting edge" and create an exceptional experience for the member. This experience should enable the attendee to see and hear for the first time the latest developments about future products, techniques, services, or systems. The educational offerings may include, in whole or in part, a Demonstration. The experience of the educational offering as part of the trade show should prompt the attendee to make the correlation between the educational program and the trade show exhibits. Presentations and/or demonstrations should be no longer than fifty (50) minutes. Sessions within the trade show will focus on two exciting subject areas:

Building Information Modeling (BIM)/Information Technology
As part of the AGC Constructor EXPO, AGC is looking for a series of 50–minute presentations that can teach an audience a new BIM capability or functionality. Ideally these presentations will give the participant an understanding of how to utilize a new process or BIM tool to build better projects more efficiently.

Green Construction and Green Related Topics
AGC of America would like to offer sessions that help educate and inform contractors on their role during a green building project. Contractors are interested in ways to distinguish their firms in this field. Successful programs would address methods with which to effectively manage a green project, to communicate the environmental goals of a project with the various team players (design and engineering professionals and specialty contractors), to develop the specific plans required for green buildings, to learn new technologies associated with green building, and to market a firm's environmental commitments and capabilities.

AGC will provide room setup and equipment as follows for each educational session during the CONSTRUCTOR Expo. Any additional audio–visual (AV) or setup requirements should be stated in the proposal.

Educational sessions within the AGC CONSTRUCTOR Expo must adhere to the following criteria:

  • All proposals submitted should be for a fifty (50) minute educational session.
  • Educational sessions may be conducted in a variety of formats; however, priority will be given to sessions that utilize experience–based learning formats. Some examples of experience–based learning include, but should not be limited to: demonstrations, presentations that incorporate hands–on activities, and guided virtual reality.
  • Regardless of format, the instructional methods used during the session should provide opportunities for students to be actively involved and interact with the material and presenters, as well as with other students where appropriate.
  • All presenters must provide clear and concise written statements of intended learning outcomes or objectives for each session. These should be proportionate to the duration of the session. These statements must reflect what the students will achieve by participating in this session.
  • All presenters should consider handouts or a takeaway for students to supplement the learning experience. The presenter should submit sample handouts electronically with his/her proposal and then is responsible for submitting all final handouts electronically by December 15, 2008 for AGC approval. AGC will make all approved handouts available to students.
  • All presenters must provide their own laptop, if one is needed, for the session.
  • All individuals involved in the session, including the presenter, are expected to demonstrate high standards of professional conduct. Discrimination against students on the basis of gender, age, socio–economic or ethnic background, sexual orientation, or disability will not be tolerated.
  • All selected presenters will be required to sign a Presenters Agreement with AGC of America.
  • AGC reserves the right to use presenter materials or session handouts for non–commercial purposes for one year from the date of session.
  • All trade show presentations will be during trade show hours on Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6.

Presenter Expenses
Presenters selected to speak at AGC's 90th Annual Convention/CONSTRUCTOR EXPO will not be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in developing content or materials for his/her presentation. Selected presenters will receive one complimentary nontransferable standard Convention registration. Please note that any Convention activities that require an additional fee or ticket purchase will be the sole responsibility of the presenter. Selected presenters will also receive one complimentary night's stay in an AGC Convention hotel.

Submission Instructions
You can submit your presentation online by clicking here. There you will find a 2009 Call for Presentations form that must be completed in full. An individual may submit a maximum of four (4) proposals for consideration.

Before submitting your presentation, please make sure that you meet all the criteria above and that you have all the required information necessary to complete the 2009 Call for Presentations form. Below is a list of the information required to complete this form:

  1. Include the presentation's title and a general description.
  2. Identify the target audience, including experience level or any prerequisites for this presentation.
  3. Include the learning outcomes or objectives that the students will accomplish by the end of this session.
  4. Identify the presenter and/or all panelists, including information detailing his/her background and qualifications relevant to the subject matter and/or to conducting this program.
  5. Disclose any commercial interest that the presenter or any of the panelists may have in any product, instrument, device, service or materials discussed during the proposed session.
  6. Include a brief biography of the presenter(s) that could be used in promotional materials.
  7. List date(s) and location(s) where this same presentation has been presented or is proposed/planned to be presented.
  8. Provide samples of handouts, case studies or any other materials that will be made available to the students.
  9. Identify any audio–visual or setup requirements for the educational session.

Selection Process and Notification
Submission of a presentation does not guarantee inclusion in the Convention. Presentations and presenters must meet or exceed the criteria listed above. All presentation proposals will also be reviewed by AGC of America.

Submission Deadline
Deadline for submission of all presentations is 5:00pm EDT Friday, June 13, 2008. Any submissions received after this time will be considered at the sole discretion of AGC of America.

Notification
Those who submitted a presentation will be notified whether or not their presentation was accepted. The notification will arrive by e–mail on or before 5:00pm EDT, Friday, July 18, 2008.

Suggestions
If you have a great topic in mind, but believe our criteria limits your creativity and ability to share your expertise, let us know. Gather your thoughts, including important details, and e–mail them to Christopher S. Monek, Senior Executive Director, Business Development, Programs and Industry Relations at: monekc@agc.org, to Rick Brown, Executive Director of Convention and Meeting Services at: brownr@agc.org, or to Allison Brotman, Senior Director, Professional Development Division at: brotmana@agc.org.

Questions
If you have any questions concerning this Call for Presentations or AGC's 90th Annual Convention/CONSTRUCTOR Expo, contact Christopher S. Monek at monekc@agc.org, Rick Brown at brownr@agc.org, or Allison Brotman at brotmana@agc.org.