Other Service Areas

Conference & Logistical Support

 

Coffey works with program and policy staff to define the requirements and expectations for any event, meeting or conference before planning activities begin.  All pre- and post-conference, as well as onsite, activities are planned and executed to achieve the anticipated outcomes. 

Coffey uses an on-line registration system (Cvent) and has held meetings and conferences across the U.S. and has established relationships with national hotel representatives for fast and successful venue searches, audiovisual providers, and travel agencies.

Support for Elementary and Secondary Education, National Center for Education Statistics (USDOEd):  Provide conference support activities for large four conferences with approximately 750 attendees that take place over six days and require 10 or more concurrent sessions, 10-15 tabletop exhibits, and a cyber café.  Conference support activities include hotel search/negotiation/contract execution; development of conference brochure (approximately 150 pages) and meeting materials (conference bags, lanyards, badges, tent cards, signs, certificates, evaluations, etc.); event planning with NCES and state sponsor; participation in planning team conference calls; workshop proposal solicitation/selection/scheduling of more than 110 proposals; periodic communication to participants and presenters via Listserv; responses to general inquiries; pre-registration; arranging travel for sponsored attendees; review of expense forms and reimbursement of travel expenses; creation of rooming list; placement of orders for audiovisual and room set-ups; packing/skipping/tracking materials to conference site; on-site registration and logistics management; and preparation of an evaluation report. Conferences have been held in San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix and Washington, DC.

Driving Transformation - State Replication Project (USDOL/ETA):  Coffey worked closely with ETA to provide consulting services in support of the State Replication effort to guide workforce system transformation.  Tasks performed included assisting the states in identifying appropriate content experts, including national and local practitioners, as well as facilities, and arranging for appropriate logistics for local forums.  Made arrangements for facilities in five locations and provided materials where necessary.  Designed, planned and facilitated a “Creative Brainstorming Session: Virginia State Workforce Plan Modification” Forum for Virginia to assist in developing their revised State WIA Plan for ARRA funds.  Over 85 participants attended with representatives from a wide array of stakeholders, including government agencies and nonprofit organizations.  Provided direct services to: Mississippi - providing logistics, registration, and materials for their statewide planning forum of 250+ persons; Delaware - located a small business human resource expert for its forum on economic development.  Taped, edited activities of one forum and made it available for use on the state web site.  Successfully completed 11 state-level transformational forums conducted in nine states.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Series of Forums:  Collaborate for Success, Partnering with Registered Apprenticeship (USDOL/ETA):  Coffey helped the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) implement a series of Action Clinics around the country to further promote the integration of RA with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)/One-Stop Career Center system, and the development of partnerships with education, economic development, business, labor, and other entities.  Participants learned successful models of integration and participated in facilitated state team breakout sessions where they crafted concrete action plans to increase integration and collaboration efforts within their states.

Coordinated and helped facilitate Action Clinics in three ETA Regions that brought together approximately 180 – 230 individuals organized in state teams that included representatives from RA, the state and local workforce systems, education, economic development, business, and other partner organizations.  Over the course of three days, participants were exposed to speakers who discussed successful models of integration within their state.  A major component of the Regional Action Clinics was the facilitated state team breakout sessions where the teams worked to craft concrete action plans for increasing integration and collaboration efforts within their states.  We provided facilitators for seven states teams in each of the Action Clinics.

Coffey staff worked with RA staff and other contractors to develop the agendas and prepare materials and was responsible for coordinating with Regional Office RA staff to determine the composition of the state teams for each Action Clinic, made all registration and logistical arrangements for the Action Clinics and the pre- and post- conference meetings, facilitated state and functional area breakout sessions, prepared Action Clinic evaluations, and assisted some state teams with follow-up activities.

Newark Prisoner Reentry Initiative (USDOL/ETA):   Coffey finalized plans, agenda, materials, and logistical arrangements for conference in Newark, including travel arrangements for guests and speakers.  Launched and managed electronic conference registration website; prepared PowerPoints; facilitated Conference; managed on-site registration and logistics; produced evaluation report; duplicated conference video; produced conference notes;  and processed travel reimbursements.

Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (USDOL/ETA):  For over a decade, Coffey performed planning and logistical support activities for approximately four quarterly meetings per year of the Secretary of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA).  Meetings were open to the public and required careful planning to ensure that the specific requirements of a federal committee meeting are met (i.e., seating arrangements, time set aside for the public to address the committee, voice recorded and transcribed).  Provided venue search, facilitation, travel arrangements, hotel meeting/lodging accommodations, vendor to audio record and transcribe each meeting, local transportation, meeting materials, public information, registration, and technical support.

Coordination of the Virginia Governor’s Forum on Disability and Economic Development (Commonwealth of Virginia/Rutgers):  Coordinated the two-day Forum for 90 participants to develop recommendations on integrating economic development and workforce development efforts with the workforce needs and opportunities for persons with disabilities.  The Forum was held in Roanoke, Virginia, and brought together national leaders from the disability community, along with state and local government officials, educators, workforce development personnel, business leaders, and economic development executives. Planned and provided logistics for the Forum, in conjunction with a Planning Committee from the various offices of Virginia state government, and staff from NTAR at the Heldrich Center.

Training Conferences for Federal Project Officers on Grants Management Efforts (USDOL/ETA):  Conferences were held in San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. with approximately 150 attendees at each.  Identified and contracted four conference sites; secured appropriate hotel accommodations, including plenary and breakout meeting rooms, guest rooms, audio/visual equipment, Internet access, breaks; coordinated pre-conference registration and provided on-site registration support in addition to providing coordination with hotel staff and technical support; printed, reproduced, assembled and shipped conference materials/binders; collected and analyzed participant feedback from each workshop; reviewed hotel bills for accuracy and payment; and supplied up-to-date conference information and feedback to client.

Senior Community Service Employment Programs (SCSEP) Conferences (USDOL/ETA):  Assisted Division of Older Worker with regulation training to all its grantees and sub-grantees nationwide – workgroups, event planning, conference registration, and other logistical support.  Researched, negotiated and signed contracts with hotels in Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; and Dallas, TX for three conferences of approximately 225 attendees each.  Arranged and purchased airline tickets for all non-federal attendees; worked with hotels for meeting room space, audio/visual equipment requirements; on-site registration; provided technical assistance for speakers; produced training and conference materials; and conducted post-conference activities.

The Next Generation of Leadership Millennium Summit (USHHS/ACF):  Provided logistical support for The Next Generation of Leadership Millennium Summit held in Washington, DC for the benefit of emerging leaders in the field of developmental disabilities. Negotiated hotel contract for meeting space, conference facilities (including audiovisual requirements, food/beverage, etc.), sleeping rooms, Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations, and pre-meeting (including registration), on-site and post-meeting activities.