Construction Risk Conference

Speaking Opportunities

Thank you for your interest in presenting a session at the IRMI Construction Risk Conference. We are accepting proposals for the 2009 IRMI Conference until February 13, 2009.

A complete submission will include all of the following items. The ensuing paragraphs provide specific detail on what is required for each item. PLEASE READ THESE PARAGRAPHS CLOSELY TO ENSURE YOUR PROPOSAL ADHERES TO OUR REQUIREMENTS.

Please use the online form to submit your proposal. To use this form you must have an account in the IRMI event management system. Follow the steps below to submit your proposal.

  • Open the form by clicking on this link: Construction Risk Conference Proposal (We are no longer accepting proposals for 2009. We will reactivate the process after the 29th IRMI Construction Risk Conference has concluded.)
    - Create an account: If you attended any IRMI seminar or Conference in 2008, you already have an account, so you may skip this step. Otherwise, click on the ADD ACCOUNT button and complete your information.
    - Log on to the system: Click the LOGON button. You will be asked for your e-mail address and a password. If you have forgotten your password, click on the Send password to my e-mail link. This will be done immediately and you can continue without exiting the application.
  • Complete the required information and submit your proposal, along with attached documents (see below).

Presentation Content

A complete proposal will include the following.

One-paragraph descriptive summary of the session content. To see a sample session description, click here.

Detailed outline (1-2 pages) of the presentation content. For a sample outline, click here. The outline should be submitted as an attachment. This can be done in the Attach Documents section of the form by clicking on Browse and selecting the file (either Word, Adobe, or Excel). Then click Add to attach the file.

Presentation type Select the type of presentation (i.e., Lecture, Panel, or other).

Learning objectives Provide three objectives (i.e., what attendees will learn from the session and how it will enable them to do their jobs better).

Proposed educational level (i.e., basic, intermediate, or advanced). Speakers should assume an understanding of construction risk and insurance fundamentals. We ask that all presentations, except those specifically designated for "beginners," be prepared at an intermediate or advanced level.

Suggested time frame. Our program can accommodate a variety of presentation lengths, including 75, 90, or 150 minutes. (At our discretion, related topics are sometimes combined to form a longer session.) Please indicate what you think is an appropriate amount of time to adequately cover the topic.

Target audience. Attendees at the Conference are from a wide range of disciplines (i.e., contractor/construction manager/builder, project owner/developer, construction/coverage attorney, insurance agent/broker, insurance/bond underwriter). Designate the audiences to which you feel your presentation will be most useful.

Speakers

The success of our Conference is directly related to the quality of the educational sessions; therefore, we exercise great care in selecting speakers. First-time IRMI speakers, in particular, are asked to provide evidence of speaking experience and ability. Our requirements differ based on whether the proposed session is a lecture or panel format, as well as whether the individual has spoken at a previous IRMI Conference. (NOTE: Over time, we have developed a preference for lecture or classroom-style workshops. For that reason, the chances of your proposal getting accepted for the program are higher if you propose a lecture format.)

Note Regarding the Number of Proposed Speakers: The more speakers involved in a presentation, the more difficult it is to maintain a cohesive, smooth-flowing session. For that reason, we prefer to keep the number of speakers in a session to the minimum number required to do the topic justice. The appropriate number of speakers depends to a great extent on the length of the presentation and the style of the presentation. The following general guidelines apply.

  • Lecture Format: We favor single-speaker sessions, but where there is a need for a copresenter, we will give that need appropriate consideration. Rarely will we approve more than two speakers for a lecture-style presentation of 90 minutes or less. If you intend to submit a proposal for three or more speakers, be prepared to tell us how much time is to be allotted to each speaker and what each speaker will add to the program that the other speakers cannot provide.
  • Panel Format: We have found that the best size for most panel discussions is three or four panelists of diverse backgrounds, plus a moderator who is also knowledgeable on the subject.

Please refrain from "inviting" anyone (officially or unofficially) to participate in a presentation prior to our approval of all speakers. As stated previously, we retain the right to select all speakers and direct the content of all sessions, and we may have suggestions that will require adjustments in the proposed session. To avoid putting you or us in an embarrassing and uncomfortable situation, we ask that you merely provide the names of people you would recommend as participants, but leave all invitations to us.

First-time IRMI Speakers: Please submit a biography and a summary of speaking experience for each proposed speaker who has not been a presenter at a previous IRMI Conference. Also, note whether an audiotape or videotape of a past presentation or speaking references could be provided upon request. This information should be submitted as an attachment following instructions provided above with regard to outlines.

"Veteran" IRMI Speakers: Please indicate the most recent years of your participation in IRMI conferences. If there have been substantive changes in your professional focus or company affiliation since you last spoke at an IRMI Conference, please submit an updated biography. This information should be submitted as an attachment following instructions provided above.

Note for All Speakers:

Handout Materials

All speakers are expected to provide handout material to supplement their presentation. IRMI will reproduce, ship, and distribute handout materials submitted by speakers prior to our stated deadline (usually early in August) at our expense. Speakers who fail to provide handout materials by the stated deadline must accomplish all of these tasks at their own expense.

We require all speakers using PowerPoint (or similar presentation software) to include their slides in their handout material. This not only facilitates note-taking, but makes it possible for attendees sitting further away from the screen to read the text. Because handout materials must be submitted well in advance, you are effectively agreeing to have your presentation ready by the August submission deadline.

Articles or papers written by you or others on the session topic may also be included in handout material, as long as copyrights are not violated. Speakers are responsible for obtaining appropriate permission to reprint all copyrighted materials.

Failure to provide the required handout materials may result in a speaker not being invited to participate in future conferences.

State-Required Evidence of Qualifications

IRMI files the Conference for continuing education credit in most states. This process requires us to comply with a host of regulations and to obtain a certain amount of personal information from all speakers. For example, we must document speakers' credentials, provide speakers' birth dates and Social Security numbers, obtain speakers' signatures on various forms, and provide outlines of all sessions. When you accept an invitation to speak at our Conference, you are agreeing to cooperate in this effort by providing the requested materials by the specified dates.

Failure to cooperate with our attempts to get the Conference approved for CE credits may result in a speaker not being invited to participate in future conferences.