Convention Event Request Form (CERF)
About CERFs
Submission Deadline for CERF Applications
CERF Rules and Regulations
Opposed Dates and Times
IACP Suitcasing/Outboarding Policy
About CERFs
The Convention Event Request Form (CERF) is designed to help organizations, exhibitors, and sponsors obtain meeting space at official IACP conference hotels and venues. If you are interested in hosting a meeting, meal function, or hospitality suite in conjunction with IACP 2024, you must complete a CERF.
Once the CERF has been submitted, IACP staff will review the request to ensure it follows the rules and regulations listed below. Once the request is reviewed and approved, it will be sent to the selected hotel or venue. A representative from the venue will contact you and work directly with you on the specifics of your event.
If, at some point, your event date, time, or location changes or is canceled, please forward the confirmation email you received when you submitted the CERF to cerf@theiacp.org, clearly indicating what changes need to be made. Please do not complete a new CERF.
Submission Deadline for CERF Applications
Submissions must be received by Friday, August 9, 2024, for your event to be listed in the IACP 2024 printed program. Any submissions received after the deadline will only be reflected online and in the mobile app.
All requests must be submitted by close of business on Thursday, October 3, 2024, to ensure review and approval of a submitted CERF. Submissions will not be accepted after this deadline.
CERF Rules and Regulations
- As noted in the paragraph below, meetings cannot be held during opposed dates and times.
- Anyone hosting a meeting or event must follow the IACP’s health and safety protocols at the time of the event to ensure the safety of all conference attendees.
- Entertainment, meetings, or similar activities are not permitted in hotel rooms or other private or public facilities during hours that conflict with IACP-sponsored events.
- Contracted properties in Boston will not reserve meeting rooms/function space for anyone during the meeting dates without prior IACP approval.
- The IACP will review and approve the CERF on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Space in the convention center is reserved for IACP staff events only.
The IACP reserves the right to decline meeting requests. Meetings that are not approved will receive a notification immediately explaining the denial.
Opposed Dates and Times
The following dates and times conflict with the IACP 2024 program. Please schedule events outside of the IACP program hours to ensure approval. It is the goal of IACP to provide all attendees with the full opportunity to benefit from our scheduled education sessions and expo hall hours, and workshops. Special consideration may be given to smaller meetings; these meetings will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Date Time Event
Sunday, October 20 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Exposition Hall Hours
Monday, October 21 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Exposition Hall Hours
Monday, October 21 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. IACP Chiefs Night
Tuesday, October 22 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Exposition Hall Hours
Tuesday, October 22 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. IACP Annual Banquet
IACP Suitcasing/Outboarding Policy
The IACP depends on our exhibitors and sponsors for successful events. As such, we are mandating increased measures to protect our exhibitors/sponsors from “suitcasing/outboarding” at our conferences and meetings.
What is Suitcasing and Outboarding?
“Suitcasing” and “outboarding” are unethical parasitic business practices in which non-exhibitors and non-sponsors attempt to gain access to conference attendees.
“Suitcasing” refers to those non-participating companies or persons who go to conferences as an attendee but “work the aisles” from their suitcase (briefcase) and solicit business in the aisles or lobby area.
“Outboarding” refers to non-participating companies that set up meetings and demos at off-site locations—hotel hospitality suites or restaurants—and encourage show attendees to leave the conference and show floor to spend time with them.
Examples may include but are not limited to:
- A non-exhibitor sets up a hospitality suite off the show floor and invites attendees to leave the show floor and visit their suite.
- A non-exhibitor alerts potential customers that while they will not be participating this year, they will have personnel walking the show floor and offering demos or show specials.
- A non-exhibitor puts together a webpage with the conference logo and solicits meetings with attendees.
- A non-exhibitor piggybacks on the activities of a third party, such as a vendor or partner who is exhibiting.
What are the consequences of Suitcasing or Outboarding?
Please note that any attendee at an IACP conference or meeting who is observed to be soliciting business in the aisles or other public spaces or uninvited attendees in another company’s booth will be asked to leave immediately, and their conference credentials will be confiscated.
Conversely, known commercial activity conducted from a hotel guest room or hospitality suite, a restaurant, or any other public place in proximity to IACP’s conferences by non-participating companies, will be shut down if utilizing properties with which IACP has an agreement. Those found to be involved with “suitcasing” or “outboarding” will be denied registration to attend future IACP events.
Statement of Intent
In order to protect our valued exhibitors/sponsors and the investment they make in the association, thereby supporting IACP’s mission, our rules strictly prohibit solicitation, “suitcasing,” or “outboarding” by attendees who transact business at our conferences and meetings and do not have exhibit booths or sponsor investment.
By suitcasing or outboarding the show, an attendee gains an unfair competitive advantage over exhibitors and sponsors that have invested money and other resources to participate in the events and deprives IACP of the income we use to support our many programs and initiatives.
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