[OSGeo-Conf] OSGeo Booth

[Jeff McKenna]

Thanks Steven, that would be great.

-jeff



On 2015-09-01 5:50 PM, Steven Feldman wrote:
> Jeff
>
> This shouldn't be a touchy subject. It should be a mandatory requirement on bidders for a FOSS4G
>
> My suggestion - the organisers should provide a space of similar size and specifications to that offered to top level sponsors in a prominent location. OSGeo should be responsible for fitting out the stand and staffing it
>
> If the conference committee agree we can make this a requirement for bidders for 2017 (and we can request it from 2016 as part of the guarantee agreement)
>
> I suggest that we also require bidders for 2017 and beyond to provide details of any advances and guarantees that they require with supporting schedules as part of their proposals
>
> Regards
> Steven
>
>
> +44 (0) 7958 924101
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On 1 Sep 2015, at 21:36, Jeff McKenna <jmckenna at gatewaygeomatics.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hello Conference Committee,
>>
>> I would like to discuss something, that, in all honesty is a very touchy subject, as there never seems to be a good time to discuss this (I may offend current local committees, past local committees).  So, this is a disclaimer: In this message I am not referring to any past or current FOSS4G.  I am merely needing to explain the issue, so we can possibly handle this for future events.  And I realize that the experienced Conference Committee members will know the best way to handle this from now on.
>>
>> Each year I must contact the FOSS4G local committee and ask about an OSGeo booth.  Now, the local committee has to please its sponsors and attract more sponsorship revenue and there is a lot of pressure on them for this reason.  (OSGeo is never classed as a sponsor) Yet, here is OSGeo, the host of the event, the foundation who awarded the team the event, the foundation who provided the necessary seed money a year in advance, the foundation who gave the local committee the spotlight, and so on...asking for a booth as well.
>>
>> On my (OSGeo) side, I want a large prominent booth; I do not want OSGeo to be given a small booth away from the main exhibition area, facing a wall etc.  In fact, sure, I want OSGeo to have a double-booth, we want to be seen, to show that 'hey yes we are hosting this event, we are great, we do great things'.
>>
>> The reality is that there is no requirement to give OSGeo a booth, as it is not mentioned in the FOSS4G RFP.
>>
>> If it is not in the RFP (and here is where my tongue gets tied always) should I be asking the OSGeo Board for approval to become a platinum sponsor, of our own event, so we can get a great booth?  Imagine that reaction.   Then, what happens is I instead ask for a booth to the local committee, and they often do their best to give OSGeo a booth.
>>
>> My question is: should the OSGeo Conference Committee be including the OSGeo exhibition booth as a requirement for hosting FOSS4G, by adding this to the RFP; or should the OSGeo Board be looking at ways to become platinum sponsors for FOSS4G as well?
>>
>> I really feel that this should (well it is) become a requirement.  If it is written in the RFP then this pressure is removed.
>>
>> Does the OSGeo booth hurt the event's bottom line? (less sponsor space etc., less sponsor revenue)  Yes this does open a can of worms, back to the focus/priority/goal of FOSS4G. And I also am acutely aware of OSGeo's lack of marketing committee and materials (it is funny how I/we are asking for great booth space, and yet we don't have professional marketing materials, I realize the irony here).  Even still, this needs to be discussed openly.
>>
>> But I feel that it is the OSGeo Conference Committee that can solve this.
>>
>> Thanks for understanding,
>>
>> -jeff
>>
>>