[AGA-sc] Fwd: FYI: Convention related messages

["S. Hieber" <shieber@yahoo.com>]

For any you that haven't yet been keeping up with the posts
on ConHeads, SFBAAPS hasn't yet submitted a proposal
although it's not clear if they think that they have.
Anyway, Erik asked them for more. Erik and I have been
batting a few things back and forth and, without objection
from Erik, thought it a good idea to share with the rest of
you.

If anyone finds all this hard to follow, I plan to start a
new column in TAG, in the spirit of Jonathon Swift, called
San Francisco and Other Modest Proposals  (just kidding
about TAG) ;-) 

sh

--- "S. Hieber" <shieber@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 06:38:25 -0800 (PST)
> From: "S. Hieber" <shieber@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: Who Me?
> To: Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>
> 
> Your post to ConHeads today was very specific, which
> should
> be an aid to anyone that really wants to comply and write
> a
> proposal. Someone just needs to sit down and start
> writing,
> gathering up data when necessary and plugging it in.
> Heck,
> I would have drafted the proposal first, as much as
> possible, and plugged in the data later and then edited,
> revised as necessary. I wouldn't leave the term paper
> until
> the last week of class.
> 
> I'm thinking my post might have shined a lined down a
> road
> too long for them to see. My guess is the the Guidelines
> &
> Recs doc is too awesome to be read and well remembered.
> As
> Yogi might say, "It's gives so much information that no
> one
> learns anything from it."
> 
> Maybe for next year (which is really next next year i.e.,
> 2007) we should create a template of a proposal so that
> they can see each section and in each we can have some
> notes on what ought to be written there.
> 
> We do this at work for stuff that has to go the
> Commissioners for approval -- it forces everyone to
> include
> basic facts and leave out all the
>
how-many-more-words-until-I-reach-the-1,000-word-essay-requirement
> bullshit. It also avoids writer's block because it
> basically says, write name here. Now write what you want
> here; now write the address here; write the amount of the
> blah blah here; list the staff here; tell us why you
> think
> you can do this here. . . 
> 
> A proposal template wouldn't have to be *instead of* the
> Guidelines & Recs doc but it might be a good "1040EZ"
> version of things.
> 
>  
> sh
> --- Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com> wrote:
> 
> > Thanks for the post reinforcing what a bid is.  And
> yes,
> > SFBAAPS seems to 
> > have a big case of "DIY-itis".  Which is fine.  But it
> > also sounds like 
> > Jim at least has been thinking he's "done" with the
> hotel
> > and now the AGA 
> > magically takes over the hotel negotiations or
> something.
> >  Which is also 
> > OK, as long as he asks.  But they can't have it both
> > ways.
> > 
> > I fully expect him to miss half of the content of my
> last
> > post.  Which is 
> > why your very short post on the definition of a bid may
> > be much more 
> > effective than my multi-subject, multi-page novel that
> > took me over an 
> > hour to write last night.
> > 
> 

Erik's previous reply to Jim:
> 
On Sun, 20 Nov 2005, jiml1029@aol.com wrote:

> Yes we want to make a bid. I must say, I'm still not 100%
sure what 
constitues "a bid".
>
> 1. Hotel Contract
> 2. Conference Program (including speakers, trip etc)
> 3. Agreed list of conference post holders (so we can kick
of the other 
processes)
> 4. Other ?

As I said in the previous message, a club's bid is their
pitch.  It is 
what is submitted to convince the AGA that SFBAAPS is a
competent, and the 
best, host for the 2006 convention.  The bid should be WHAT
the rough plan 
is, WHO will be involved, and HOW it's going to be
executed.  The 
documents sent have lots of holes in those areas that need
to be filled in 
before it's considered a bid.

I will say, though, that the more that is discussed here on
this list, or 
on the phone (I forward everything to the board anyway),
the less that 
needs to be formally in the bid.  Scott reminded me that
DFWAPC 
essentially submitted their bid verbally, as we were in
telephone contact 
on a weekly basis, and I have all the details in
transcribed notes.  So 
even the MEANS by which the bid is submitted is fairly
loose.  We just 
need the information.

Here's some things I'd like to know more about:

* I read that there was going to be an extensive PR
campaign.  So let's 
hear about it.  Even just a couple sentences.

* Banquet speaker, or is the Iron Aquascaper event part of
the banquet? 
As part of the banquet, it would be a good draw for folks. 
Can we have 
some details on how what will be involved?  Resources
required?

* What's the Meeting Room Discount deal?  Are they saying
they'll deduct 
$35 per banquet attendee, or is it fixed at $2800?  Or is
it based on 
hotel rooms booked?

* Please elaborate "Contest Display" -- What are these ten
things that 
cost $7.50 each?

* A bit more detail on field trip.  Is it the Monterey Bay
Aquarium?  How 
will it be accomplished?  Buses?  Vans? Private auto?

* Are you considering breakfast packages like it says in
the itinerary? 
Perhaps a proposed contract from the hotel will straighten
this out.


> ...jim continues:
>
> My focus is on the Hotel Contract, I figure one we have
that , we can 
> engage the other players to begin working finalizing the
other areas, 
> and if we dont have it, it doesn't make sense kicking off
the other 
> things.

And that's OK, to a point.  This is what I was trying to
discern from the 
original message.  If you're giving a progress report on
the planning, and 
getting some feedback from everyone on the list, great! 
But it's not yet 
in shape for us to give a vote, i.e., it's not a bid.


It sounds like there's some hangup in terms of how far the
hotel contract 
needs to be negotiated and who is involved, before the
final bid is 
submitted to the AGA board.  And this was my point last
month about this 
happening in stages.  You approach some hotels, get some
preliminary 
numbers.  Great.  You've eliminated a low-end hotel and a
high-ball hotel 
to concentrate on one that looks negotiable.  Step one
complete.  Good 
progress.

I would suggest at this point, that you get a proposed
contract from the 
hotel.  I would suggest you enlist the help of someone like
Larry, who has 
negotiated several of these contracts before.  Call him. 
He's offered to 
help (see message
http://lists.thekrib.com/aga-conheads/0510/msg00021.html 
for details & phone number).

We can review the contract from the hotel either on this
list, over the 
phone, or in private e-mail if you prefer.  It will most
likely take 3 
iterations back and forth with the hotel.

But while that is going on, the others should be getting
their rough plans 
together for the bid.  You don't want to sit on the final
hotel contract 
for a month waiting for committee heads.  You want to have
ENOUGH of that 
planning done and reported on so that we can sign off on
it.

We're really pretty accomodating here.  I keep bringing up
these points to 
keep folks focused.  We want this bid to succeed.  We want
to have the 
2006 AGA Convention hosted by SFBAAPS, and we want it to be
a great 
convention.  Heck, I personally want to see this succeed so
I can drive 
down the coast with my family instead of paying $1500 for
babysitting and 
airfare.

   - Erik

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