General Information

• Where is the Forum?
• What is the recommended attire?
• What's new for Forum 2016?
• What is the Dine Around?

Registration and Payment Information

• Why does the registration link take me to a Virginia Tech web page?
• How do I register and pay by credit card?
• How do I register and pay by check?
• Can I pay for registration with a P-card?
• What is the refund and cancellation policy?
• Where do I register when I get to the conference?

Dietary Information

• What breaks/meals are included?
• What if I have special dietary needs?

Hotel Information

• Is the hotel rate subject to change?
• Should I contact a hotel directly to reserve a room?
• Will my PassKey confirmation number also be my hotel confirmation number?
• Do Forum hotels allow direct bill?
• Do Forum hotels honor the state rate before or after the Forum?

Recertification Information

• How many VCA/VCO contact hours will I earn?
• How do I track my attendance?
• Will I receive an attendance certificate?
• How do I obtain documentation for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours?

Where is the Forum?

The Virginia Beach Convention Center

1000 19th Street

Virginia Beach, VA, 23451

Website

What is the recommended attire?

Recommended Forum attire is business casual; comfortable shoes are suggested as you will be walking between session rooms. A sweater or jacket will come in handy because meeting rooms tend to be cool.

What's new for Forum 2016?

The 2016 Public Procurement Forum has implemented many new and exciting features and announcing more throughout the year!  Check out the What's New page for more information on these new developments as they are announced.

What is the Dine Around?

Dine Around is an on-your-own event on Tuesday evening. It is an opportunity for you and your friends to try one restaurant – or several – in the Town Center area of Virginia Beach. The location features more than 25 restaurants so there is sure to be something to meet everyone’s taste. Free shuttle bus service will run from the conference hotels to Town Center between 5 pm and 10 pm.

Why does the registration link take me to a Virginia Tech web page?

Virginia Tech’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education serves as the conference registrar for the Forum. As such, they create and maintain the registration pages and forms; and process payments and refunds on behalf of the Department of General Services. They also send confirmation emails when registration is completed and provide support for the registration process. The Forum registrar at Virginia Tech is listed under the Contact Us link on every Forum web page.

How do I register and pay by credit card?

Register and pay for the Forum online using the following link: Registration

Registration is not confirmed until payment is received.

Credit Cards: American Express, VISA and MasterCard payments are accepted online.

Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education will send email confirmation when card payment is processed.  Print and save this email as your receipt.

How do I register and pay by check?

Print and complete the paper registration form at the following link: Full Conference Paper Registration

Make check payable to:

Treasurer Virginia Tech – CE

Mail registration form and check to:

Conference Registrar

Outreach Program Services

810 University City Blvd., Suite D

Virginia Tech, Mail Code 0272

Blacksburg, VA 24061

Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education will send email confirmation when check is received and processed. Print and save this email as your receipt.

Can I pay for registration with a P-card?

According to the Commonwealth Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual – SPCC Topic 20355:  IAT for State Classes & Services (CARS) and Payment for State Classes & Services (Cardinal):

 “The purchasing card may be used to pay for classes/services provided by another state agency only if the agency accepts VISA…”

Continuing and Professional Education at Virginia Tech, which acts as registrar for the Forum, accepts VISA so using a P-Card to pay for Forum registration is permissible.

What is the refund and cancellation policy?

Requests for refunds will be honored when received by 5:00 pm on October 16. Although refunds will not be possible after 5:00 pm on October 16, another person may be substituted at any time for this program. A $75 administrative fee will be deducted for cancellations.

In the unlikely event that this program is canceled or postponed due to insufficient enrollments or unforeseen circumstances, Virginia Tech, on behalf of the Department of General Services, will fully refund registration fees but cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including cancellation or change charges assessed by airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organization.

Where do I register when I get to the conference?

The conference registration desk will be located inside the convention center on the main floor.

What breaks/meals are included?

• Morning and afternoon breaks Monday and Tuesday; morning break Wednesday
• Lunch Monday and Tuesday

What if I have special dietary needs?

The Forum will provide vegetarian meals that generally accommodate common medically necessary dietary needs.  You should respond to the question accordingly when completing the registration form.  Personal dietary preferences cannot be accommodated as they vary too greatly for the catering staff to manage when serving large group meals.  Check with your hotel to confirm whether they can provide a mini-fridge in your room, which can be used to meet personal dietary requirements or preferences.

Is the hotel rate subject to change?

The current state hotel per diem for Virginia Beach in November is $96. State lodging rates are governed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates effective October 1 of each year. Rate changes generally are announced in August. To determine whether the rate changes this fall, search for Virginia Beach as your travel destination using the search criteria on the website:

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877

Should I contact a hotel directly to reserve a room?

No, all Forum rooms must be booked through the central reservation system – PassKey. Individual hotels have been instructed not to offer the Forum room rate for rooms booked outside the contracted blocks. The Forum team has negotiated significant discounts for meeting space and transportation that rely on a fixed number of rooms booked through PassKey. Your cooperation in booking through PassKey helps ensure we can continue offering Forum registration at a modest cost.

Will my PassKey confirmation number also be my hotel confirmation number?

No. PassKey will issue a confirmation number when you book your hotel room. When reservations close thirty days prior to the Forum, PassKey transmits reservation information in bulk to the conference hotels and the hotels issue confirmation numbers from their systems. Therefore, if you need to change or cancel your room more than thirty days prior to the conference, you need to do so through the PassKey system. Within thirty days of the conference, changes or cancellations must be made through the hotel using the hotel confirmation number.

Do Forum hotels allow direct bill?

No, in the conference industry, it is general practice for hotels to allow direct bill only to the organization that has a lodging contract, in this case DGS. Although your agency may use direct bill for lodging on other agency business, conference lodging is treated differently and you should not anticipate being able to secure individual direct bill arrangements with any of the Forum hotels. Additionally, the Forum uses a central reservation system – PassKey – to book and track hotel reservations against the contracted room blocks. There is no facility within PassKey to support direct billing.

Do Forum hotels honor the state rate before or after the Forum?

The hotels honor the state rate three days before and three days after the Forum.

How many VCA/VCO contact hours will I earn?

You can earn up to a maximum of 17 VCA/VCO contact hours attending the Full Conference and up to 5.7 for the One Day Conference.  To receive full credit, register before the sessions begin on Monday at 8 AM and attend all Forum events through their close at 12:15 PM on Wednesday, including the Supplier Connect.

How do I track my attendance?

Track all of your attendance hours on the tear-out recertification document included in the back of your Forum Guide.  Attach the Recertification Document to your Recertification Application when submitting it to DPS/VIP for VCA/VCO recertification.

Will I receive an attendance certificate?

No, attendance certificates are not provided for the Forum with the exception of CPE documentation.  This step was taken to conserve paper and because it follows the practice of other certifying entities.

How do I obtain documentation for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours?

Track all of your attendance on the tear-out recertification document included in the back of your Forum Guide.  Email the recertification document to vipregistration@dgs.virginia.gov to receive a CPE certificate.