Overview

IAM is now accepting learning session proposals for our 2024 Annual Meeting & Expo. Peer-to-peer education and collaboration sets this conference apart, with members sharing their strategies and best practices to achieve the common goal for the moving industry—advancing the professionalism and operational excellence of our members. 

IAM is looking for innovative conference sessions that deliver exceptional learning experiences to our attendees. Please review the guidelines below and submit your proposal on or before March 15, 2024. 

Proposal Process & Selection Criteria

1. Peer Reviews

Volunteer leaders who have a good understanding of the IAM strategic plan and mission will be selected to act as peer reviewers for proposals. These peer reviewers will rate proposals anonymously. The selection process ensures that diverse peer input is received to shape the look and feel of the conference. Each submission is evaluated on five criteria:

• Ability to Inspire Action;
• Originality;
• Overall Quality;
• Program Design; and
• Topic Relevance.

The reviewers are responsible for selecting up to two sessions from the proposals received during the Call for Proposals and identifying any gaps in the content.

2. IAM Staff

The IAM professional staff, who have a long history of industry and association experience, plays an important role in the session proposal process. Staff is responsible for managing the Call for Proposals and ensuring that it is widely advertised to attract a diverse range of proposals. Once the proposals are received, the staff reviews them to ensure that they meet the submission guidelines. After the proposals are reviewed, the staff compiles them for the peer reviewers to review and make final selections. Finally, the staff works with the presenters to ensure that their sessions are well-prepared and that they have the necessary resources to deliver successful presentations.

Submission Rules

• Your organization must be an IAM Member in good standing for your proposal to be accepted for review. Additionally, if your organization’s membership status should change prior to the conference, the presentation could be removed from the program.
  • If you are unsure of your membership status, or would like to join IAM, please contact the membership department at membership@iamovers.org

• All proposals must be submitted using the online form, with no exceptions. Think quality over quantity. You may submit up to one proposal. Upon submitting a proposal, you will receive an automatic confirmation for your records that it was submitted successfully. 

• Plan your submission. IAM suggests that you first collect your thoughts for your proposal before going to the online form. Once you have your ideas and necessary information, go to the online form and click on the "Start" button to begin.

• The primary point of contact (POC) is the person submitting the proposal. IAM will communicate with the POC for all communications, including notifications and deadlines. The POC must manage communications and information sharing with co-leaders/panelists.

• All proposed content leaders must be listed. Although this information will be redacted from the peer review process, intentionality is critical in providing a quality learning experience, including the expertise of instructors. Proposed content leaders will be reviewed by the staff before acceptance, which includes a limit on the total number of content leaders. IAM reserves the right to deny a content leader from speaking at the conference or other IAM event. Reasons for denial can include but are not limited due to the following reasons:

• Content leader no longer working for an IAM member in good standing;
• Content leader has been found to have violated the IAM Code of Ethics; and
• Content leader has been found to have violated the Annual Meeting Code of Conduct, or Sponsorship and Exhibitor Terms and Conditions.

• Use precise language free of political reference and maintain compliance with antitrust law. Speakers and content leaders shall avoid any political references and language that could imply collusion or restrictive trade practices, and ensure the content adheres strictly to antitrust laws and the IAM antitrust policy. Speakers and content leaders shall also ensure that discussions on market practices remain general and educational, steering clear of specifics that might suggest price setting, market division, or any form of anti-competitive behavior.
• Avoid all commercial bias. Any submission that is not educational in nature, neutral and unbiased, and of commercial motive will not be accepted.

Timeline (subject to change)

• March 15: Completed proposals received no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT
• March 18-20: Initial review by IAM staff to ensure completed proposals follow stated guidelines
• April 4: Phase I review and rating by peer reviewers
• April 15: IAM will confirm accepted proposals by email and notify those who were not selected, offering options to participate in other 2024 Annual Conference opportunities

Questions during the submission process? Please contact Julia O’Connor, Vice President of Membership & Marketing at juliao@iamovers.org.

Review Process

Proposals will be reviewed by IAM’s peer reviewers, which is comprised of IAM members. The strongest proposals will emphasize how attendees will use the learnings from your session upon return from the conference.

Throughout the evaluation process, proposals will be assessed using the following criteria:

1. Timeliness and innovation of topic;
2. Practical applications;
3. Data and outcomes (as appropriate to topic);
4. Specificity and quality of content; and
5. Interaction/audience participation opportunity.