I. House of Optimism
Shall be open to all Optimist members and the public and there will be no charge for admittance.
Exhibits in the House of Optimism should include and are not restricted to:
- All commercial enterprises in the business of fund raising and community service
products;
- Optimist International licensed vendors;
- Commercial enterprises who provide products and services to Optimist Clubs;
- Optimist International licensed fund raising product vendors holding exclusive contracts for a product to be exhibited;
- Board endorsed not-for-profit organizations;
- Optimist International sponsors;
- Optimist International partnerships;
- Optimist International committees;
- Optimist International Foundations;
- Local area businesses.
All vendors shall be able to sell on the exhibit floor.
Optimist Club exhibits shall be open to youth and community service projects, and must be consistent with the philosophy of Optimist International. All Club exhibits must be approved in advance by the International Programs Committee.
II. Annual Convention Meeting
1. Letter of Intent
Cities or organizations (e.g. Convention & Visitors Bureaus) may exhibit interest through responding to a request for proposal prepared and distributed by the Optimist International Headquarters. Cities or organizations desiring to bid for the Annual Convention can submit a letter of intent to the Executive Director and/or Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at least one year preceding the June/July Board of Directors meeting at which said bid shall be awarded. Standardized bid and convention/hotel requirements shall be developed and distributed by the International Headquarters.
Bidding cities or organizations which do not send in the required information and/or whose bids do not meet specifications will not be visited by the Site
Inspection Committee and, accordingly, those bids will not be considered.
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Said Inspection shall be conducted and concluded within two-three (2-3) months preceding the June/July Board of Directors meeting at which said bid shall be approved.
2. Request for Proposal (RFP)
The International Headquarters shall distribute a request for proposal to all selected and/or interested eligible cities and organizations at least one year preceding the June/July Board of Directors meeting at which said bid shall be awarded. The bidding criteria shall include, without limitations, suitability of facilities, transportation, venues and recreational opportunities. Bidding cities and organizations then must answer each question and provide all information requested on the request for proposal to be considered. Cities will be awarded a commitment contract no less than two years and no more than four years prior to the convention year in question.
3. Bid Activities
The request for proposal shall, among other issues, determine the extent of financial support the city and local businesses will provide in defraying expenses of the Annual Convention. Specifications shall include any mandatory requirements for participation by a bidding city or organization.
Completed proposal must be received no later than five months preceding the June/July Board of Directors meeting, at which said bid shall be awarded. Promotional activities for the bidding cities and organizations shall be as follows:
A. All bidding cities and organizations shall host the Site Inspection Team at no cost to Optimist International, which shall visit the city proposed for the purpose of verifying the accuracy of the facts presented in the proposal (to include facilities for housing, social events, business meetings, and meals). An agenda shall be sent to the Executive Director at least seven (7) days prior to the arrival of the Site Inspection Team.
B. Bidding cities and organizations shall arrange for an inspection of all facilities by the Site Inspection Team within a maximum time frame of forty-eight (48) hours on site.
C. Based upon cost to delegates and other relevant factors, recommendations will be made to the Board of Directors at the June/July Board of Directors meeting.
D. Additional rules on bidding procedures may be promulgated by the Optimist International Headquarters, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
E. The Site Inspection Team shall be composed of the Chairman of the Convention Committee, the Executive Director and/or Senior Director of Marketing and
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Communications and other qualified Optimist member as may be designated by the President.
4. Statement of Rules and Regulations
Bidding cities and organizations shall submit to the Board of Directors a written statement of any state or local rules, regulations or laws then in effect, or which will become effective before the Annual Convention, which is the subject of the bid, which are more restrictive than the rules of the Annual Convention conduct specified in Optimist International policies or bid specifications.
5. Guarantee of Room Accommodations and Facilities
A. No bid shall be accepted unless the bidding city or organization can guarantee accommodations during the week specified in its bid at the rates required by Optimist International. The bidding city shall not change the time specified or the accommodations cost in said bid for the Annual Convention without the approval and consent of the Board of Directors.
B. Annual Convention sites shall be awarded, only upon the guarantee of the bidding city, that meeting and housing facilities are adequate, available and that the rates for housing are as indicated and will be established by agreement with local housing facility owners.
6. Facilities, Requirements
In order to be qualified to be awarded the bid, the bidding city or organizations shall have written evidence of confirmed facilities, including but not limited to, the following:
A. An air-conditioned facility capable of seating the projected number of delegates based on the prior five-year attendance average, geographical locations, economic factors, and such other attendance indicators as may be designated by professional planning staff.
B. An enclosed facility with adequate floor space based on projected attendance, included in or adjacent to the arena or auditorium specified above suitable for the serving and eating of meals.
C. An adequate number of full-serve hotel rooms within a two (2) block radius of the convention center, based on anticipated need. Locations with full-service hotel rooms farther away than two (2) blocks radius of the convention center may be considered if said location is willing to provide transportation between the hotel rooms and the meeting facilities.
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D. The Board of Directors shall approve the recommendation of the Site Inspection Team as to the adequacy of all such facilities proposed for use in Optimist International’s Convention event requirements.
7. Program
With input from the Convention Committee, the approval of convention program content and the securing of speakers at the Annual Meeting shall be the responsibility of the President and Executive Director of Optimist International.
8. Fiscal
To the extent possible, all expenditures for the account of Optimist International at the Annual Convention should be covered by registration fees and shall be authorized by the Executive Director. The convention budget is to be reviewed by the Audit &Finance Committee monthly.
9. Registration; Room Reservation
A. Annual Convention registration shall be handled by Optimist International. All advance registration forms and monies from the various Districts or Clubs, be they group registrations or single registrations from individuals, shall be payable to and addressed in the name of Optimist International. International Convention registration fees are stated in U.S. dollars. All non US members may register online and pay the fees in U.S. dollars by using their credit card and the issuing bank’s or financial institution’s daily currency exchange rate will apply. Canadian Members have the option to pay the established Canadian fees in Canadian funds through the Canadian Service Centre by check or credit card.
B. The Convention Committee shall closely monitor the plan for operation of the Annual Convention in order to ensure that registration costs are kept to a minimum. It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors to govern and approve the Annual Convention registration fee, and to regulate any increases or additional charges for attendance by members.
C. Persons canceling convention registrations on or before April 1 will receive a full refund of fees paid. Person canceling convention registrations between April 1 and 21 days prior to the start of the convention will receive a refund of all fees paid less a $25 per registrant processing fee. Persons canceling convention registrations less than 21 days prior to the start of convention will receive no refund, exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis. All cancellations must be submitted in writing.
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D. Should a person who has registered misplace a ticket for a particular event, that person shall be required to pay the unit price for admission to such event. That person shall receive a receipt for any money paid and, upon presentation of the misplaced ticket and the receipt, shall receive a refund of the money so paid providing application is made for refund before the close of the Annual Convention.
10. Prohibition Regarding Souvenir Program
A host city and/or District and/or Club for an Annual Convention shall not contract with any outside group or agency or individual for the solicitation of advertising and/or solicit sponsorship in connection with the conduct of the Annual Convention or any Optimist International special event, function or tournament without prior approval from Executive Director.
11. Raffles
No raffles or similar money-making endeavors shall be permitted at any Annual Convention, except those sponsored by Optimist International as may be approved by the Board of Directors and consistent with applicable local and state/provincial laws.
12. Concessions
All concessions for the Annual Convention and other Optimist International special events shall be operated only by the International organization or contracted to a participating outside vendor with the approval of the Board of Directors. There will be
no alcoholic beverages sold during the business sessions in the Annual Convention hall.
13. Delegates Registration List
The mailing or contact information list will not be made available to anyone unless authorized by the Board of Directors. A list of attendee’s first and last names by District will be available on the convention page of www.optimsit.org for promotional purposes.
III. International Coordinators
International Coordinators, selected by the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications and approved by the President, shall perform services necessary to fulfill the official convention program. There are detailed guidelines available for each of these services. International Coordinators do not have the permission to commit, guarantee, or contract (written or oral) any convention activity.
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IV. Convention Protocol
The International Convention Committee shall maintain the following list detailing all convention protocol and shall review it annually.
1. First Timer’s Orientation – Typically scheduled before first session and chaired by Convention Committee Chairman or someone of his/her choice. President, a Past President, Credentials Committee Chair or designee, Governance Committee Chair or designee, Leadership Development Committee Chair(s) or designee(s), a Sergeant-at-Arms and Foundations Presidents to make appearance for a few comments.
2. Opening Session - Typically emceed by Chairman of Convention Committee and can include the following:
a. Welcome from host District Governor and/or designee
b. Entertainment: youth group for 20 minutes.
c. Parade of Flags
d. National Anthem of host country
e. Invocation
f. Introduction of current Optimist International Board, US and Canadian Foundations Boards, Past International Presidents, Vice Presidents and Governors with teammates; Junior Optimist Board
g. Junior Optimist President’s speech
Each welcome shall be limited to 5 minutes, with the individual so advised in writing and again verbally just prior to introduction.
All participants to be seated on stage or in reserved seats in first few rows.
3. Second Session – Can include the following:
a. Introduction of Immediate Past
b. Introduction of President/presentation of gavel – Call to Order
c. Pacesetter winners
d. Golden Builder Awards
e.
Intro to Builders of
Excellence Awards – int
(
Mar 1992, Jul 1994, Mar 1995, Dec 1996, Dec 1998, Nov 2000, Mar 2004, Dec 2005, Mar 2014, Apr 2015,
Dec 2015, Apr 2016,
Dec 2017
)