Find an Organiser

Professional Conference Organisers (PCO) specialise in the organisation and administration of events, conferences and seminars.

PCOs work as consultants to provide solutions for academic and professional associations. They usually provide full service management for conferences including but not limited to conference design, registration, site selection, venue selection, platform selection, audiovisuals, IT support, logistics, leisure management, marketing, printing and web services, sourcing speakers, funding and sponsorship, financial management and budget control.

How can an ABPCO member assist in the successful organisation of your next event?

ABPCO members can assist with all aspects of conference planning, promotion and management. Such services include:

Programme planning

Attendee-centric, insights driven strategic planning, including speaker selection and briefing.

Financial assistance

Preparing budgets, managing events income and expenditure, generating revenue through sponsorship, exhibitions and satellite meetings and handling VAT issues.

Contracts

Preparing contracts with venues and other suppliers.

Venue selection

Venue booking and liaison, reservations and management of delegate accommodation.

Platform selection

Helping the client to source the platform(s) that supports your objectives.

Event marketing

Including the creative design of conference programmes and promotional materials, PR and media co-ordination, presentations to committees and boards.

Event administration

Provision of an administrative secretariat, handling delegate registrations, recruitment and briefing of conference staff, co-ordinating delegates’ travel arrangements.

Exhibition organisation

Including sales and marketing functions.

Advice and co-ordination of audio-visual provision

Including the provision of multilingual interpretation and translation services.

Site visits and social programmes

Including delegate and partner tours

Security

Arranging security cover and advising on health and safety, risk management and insurance issues.

Recording and transcription

Recording, transcribing and producing the proceedings of meetings for publication, arranging poster sessions, processing of abstracts.

Guidance On Tendering For Conference and Event Support Services

These guidelines have been produced to assist you with the appointment of a Professional Conference or Event Organiser.

ABPCO members recognise that it is very important to understand the client’s or host organisation’s company philosophy. A good relationship between the client and the appointed organiser is paramount for the event to be successful and reach its potential. The organiser effectively becomes part of the company’s or organisation’s own team.

The objective of these guidelines are to:

• Encourage best return on time and costs invested in the appointment of professional conference and exhibition organising services.
• Clearly identify the requirements of the conference and/or exhibition, as well as the priority outcomes for the client or host organiser.
• Encourage the best possible experience from early on in development of the conference, leading to the early recruitment of professionals.
• Identify details of a briefing document to be given to an already shortlisted group of PCO’s who can meet the needs of the project.
• A number of steps should be followed by the client or host organisation to ensure best return on time for yourself and for the appointed organiser.

ABPCO believes this can be best achieved through the process outlined in the ABPCO Tendering Guidance downloadable document.