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Usage of Exhibit Space
For additional information, please contact:
Francine Garner, Exhibits Manager | Phone: (202) 942-9240 | Fax: (202) 942-9340 | Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Proper Attire
All exhibitors and their agents are expected to dress and conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times and to comply with the rules, regulations, and policies of the ICAAC 2012. Exhibitor representatives are required to staff their exhibit space(s) at all times when the exhibit hall is officially open.
If your company is using models to demonstrate your product or service, they should also be in business attire. No revealing clothing, leotards, shorts, bikinis, or stretch pants are permitted.
Official Exhibits
All exhibits will be assigned by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and will be located in the designated ICAAC exhibit hall(s). No company or their representatives may display, demonstrate, or distribute their products and/or services in any location other than their designated exhibit space(s). Displaying promotional advertisements, the distribution of printed materials, and the solicitation of orders outside of your exhibit space is strictly prohibited. These rules apply to all organizations, their vendors, contractors, staff and agents in attendance at the ASM General Meeting.
Subletting of Exhibit Space
Subletting or sharing of exhibit space is not permitted. There may only be one (approved) exhibitor/company represented in an assigned exhibit space. A participating exhibitor may not assist a non-participating representative in gaining access to the exhibit hall. This includes public relations firms and other third party vendors. All signs, advertisements, publications, materials, products, and representatives’ badges must reflect the name of the contracted exhibiting company. Any violation of these regulations may result in an immediate shutdown and removal of the exhibit and materials in violation, as well as a loss of priority points. Additionally, organizations found to be in violation of these regulations risk denial of participation in future ICAAC meetings, and removal from ASM’s approved exhibitors list.
Children
For the protection of your children and in order to maintain the scientific nature of the exhibition, no children under the age of 16 will be allowed in the exhibit hall during installation, dismantle, and show hours. Strollers are not permitted in the exhibit hall at any time.
CME
The granting of CME credits to meeting participants, in any category, from an exhibit space is prohibited.
Non-Exhibiting Companies
Non-exhibiting companies and their personnel, agents, and contractors will not be permitted in the exhibit hall at any time. In addition, non-exhibiting companies will not be allowed to register for the meeting and will be denied entrance to any of the exhibitor-approved ICAAC functions for meeting attendees and approved exhibitors. Non-exhibiting companies will not be allowed to display or demonstrate any services or products in the convention center or any hotel within the ICAAC housing block.
Product/Service Displays
The exhibitor is permitted to demonstrate devices, instruments, equipment, or services, to make presentations and to distribute printed materials related to those products or services represented by their company. Please be aware that only those products or services that are related to the practice of microbiological research, diagnostic research, or the medical industry are permitted. If your organization has products or provides services that may not be related to microbiology, or the medical/pharmaceutical industry they should not be displayed. If such products or services are displayed, ASM management will require you to remove the unrelated product or service from your exhibit. ASM reserves the right to decide the appropriateness of any service, product, literature, device, videotape, or audiotape.
Booth Layout
To follow the above guidelines and maintain clear aisles with adequate line of sight, ASM requires that:
- Attendees must not stand in the aisle in order to view and/or participate in a demonstration.
- Displays, such as TV monitors, that constitute a demonstration, must be placed behind the three feet easement and be of a size to attract customers onto the easement for viewing. This is intended to keep attendees from standing in the aisle.
- Clear or a maximum of 20% tinted Plexiglas structures placed in the booth have limited copy to permit see-through visibility, such as for conference areas, etc.
Animals
Exhibitors will not display or bring into the exhibit any animal, bird, fish, or other non-human creature without written permission of Exhibits Management and the meeting facility.
Selling
To assist companies with maximizing their exhibiting opportunity, exhibitors will be allowed to sell their products/services in the exhibition hall. Selling and processing of products/services) are permitted if the products/services are the exhibitors’ own unaltered, marketed products; the products and services are directly related to the conduct of science or medicine by ICAAC attendees; and all transactions are conducted in a manner consistent with the professional nature of the meeting.
The exchange of checks and credit cards for a product or service is allowed. Every transaction must be accompanied by a receipt for the purchaser. For security reasons, cash transactions are discouraged. It is the responsibility of the exhibitor to have all licenses, permits, and/or registrations required by the conference venue, city, municipality, and/or state. The exhibitor is responsible for compliance with all applicable tax laws. For applications and information please contact: California State Board of Equalization at (916) 227-6600 or www.boe.ca.gov.
Internet/Web-based/Medical Record Exhibitors
Internet companies that offer web page hosting for physicians and their practices must require physicians to read and accept the terms of the site’s privacy, security, and/or confidentiality policies for information posted on the web site. These policies must disclose whether any information provided by the physician will be shared with third parties and describe how the information might be used and identify the third party. If any of the services being provided involve the transfer of medical records electronically, then HIPAA guidelines must be observed. For further details, visit www.cms.hhs.gov/HIPAAGenInfo/.
Internet companies must list on their web site any relationships with commercial entities (e.g., pharmaceutical companies, etc.). Prior to requesting personal information from users online, companies must require users to read and accept the terms of the site’s online privacy policy.
Live Scanning
The use of ultrasound, x-ray, or laser equipment for the purpose of live scanning of humans is strictly monitored. ASM does not allow scanning of human models or animals. Bone density and/or ultrasound scanning of meeting participants may be approved on a case by case basis. Please email your written request to asmexhibitsinfo@asmusa.org, ATTN: Exhibits Management. Make sure to provide a detailed letter with the specifications of the equipment you will be using, how it will be used, and a sample of a liability waiver that participants will sign holding ASM harmless. This waiver must be approved by ASM.
Exhibit Photographing/Videotaping
Recording video and taking photographs (with film, or digital devices, including smartphones), other than by the ICAAC official photographer, including video or photographing and exhibitor’s own booth, is expressly prohibited. Unapproved photos, images and/or videos will be confiscated. An exception to this rule will be considered only with written permission from ASM. Such request must be received by July 13, 2012. For approved exceptions, the exhibitor will be required to submit an EAC Request for its photographer/videographer.
A representative of one exhibiting company may not photograph or record video of another exhibitor’s booth. Violation of this rule will result in the expulsion of the offending exhibitor from the exhibit hall; confiscation of the photo, image and/or video, and the loss of priority points by the exhibiting company.
During the meeting, attendees, vendors, guests, and exhibitors may be photographed by the official ICAAC photographer, or videographer. ASM reserves the right to use an individual’s photo, likeness or image in future ASM promotional publications or materials.
Music, Videotapes, and Posters/Pictures
At no time should music or videos be played at a level that interferes with a neighboring exhibitor’s booth activities. Music, videos, or posters/pictures containing sexually explicit or vulgar language or acts are strictly prohibited.
Surveys and Questionnaires
These guidelines are for exhibiting companies that will be asking convention registrants to complete a survey/questionnaire for marketing research, or analysis purposes. If you are only asking several questions to ‘qualify’ the registrant, approval is not needed.
- Written approval from ASM Exhibits Management is necessary if an exhibitor wishes to have ASM meeting attendees' complete surveys or questionnaires. Submission of sample survey/questionnaire must be received by July 13, 2012.
- A copy of the survey/questionnaire must be submitted with a written statement of the purpose, specific identification of who will have access to the information provided by the survey/ questionnaire, and whether the information will be used in ads, publications, or statements to any news or media source.
- All meeting participants must be allowed to complete a survey if they so desire.
- An exhibitor may not deny an attendee from participating in a survey/questionnaire based on age, sex, race, or any other reason.