Speakers

Registration
Travel Arrangements
Hotel Accommodations
Speaker Guidelines

Registration Information for Speakers

Registration for this event is free and open to the public. You may register online using ESI's secure server by clicking the link below. As a sponsored Speaker, you will be asked to submit travel and hotel requests as part of the online registration process. You will also be asked to submit several pieces of information related to your presentation. Therefore, please carefully read through the important information on Travel Arrangements, Hotel Accommodations, and Speaker Guidelines below prior to clicking on the registration link.

The online registration deadline is Monday, April 28, 2008.

Speaker Registration

Travel Arrangements for Speakers

The Eleventh Annual Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference begins promptly at 9:00 am on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 and adjourns at 12:30 pm on Friday, May 30, 2008. The conference will be held in the heart of Washington, DC at the Hilton Washington.

Air/Rail Travel

Designated Travel Agent
All sponsored Speakers are required to make their travel arrangements through the designated travel agency, Executive Services International Travel, Inc. (ESIT). ESIT will coordinate your airline or rail reservations and tickets. Bridget Hanafin is the designated agent at ESIT for this event.

Please remember that this event is sponsored and funded by a Federal Government agency; thus, ESIT is required to follow Federal Government Travel Regulations.

Guidelines that ESIT is Required to Follow
ESIT is authorized to book your round trip travel from your designated origin to Washington, DC and back ONLY. ESIT is not authorized to book travel itineraries that include special routing accommodations (e.g., a layover in another city for business or personal purposes, additional nights stay, or return flights to a city other than your home/departure city). If your travel needs require special routing accommodations, please immediately contact Jennifer Pinder, Program Specialist at ESI, at (240) 744-7054 or via e-mail at jenniferp@esi-dc.com.

ESIT is required to book you on the most economical, coach-class flight in order to comply with Federal Government Travel Regulations. Airline preferences to accommodate frequent-flyer benefits or airport preference cannot override price considerations.

Electronic tickets (e-tickets) will be issued to persons requiring air travel. Travelers will need to show a valid form of identification at the check-in counter. Participants traveling by train, and those for whom e-tickets are not an option, will receive paper tickets. ESIT will e-mail or fax you a copy of your itinerary after booking your ticket so that you will have it available for reference.

How to Make Your Travel Reservations

1. Click on the registration link above and follow the instructions provided for submitting your travel and accommodation requests as part of the online conference registration process.



2. Once ESI staff process your registration and approve your travel requests, your travel information will be forwarded to ESIT.



3. Based on your requests, the designated ESIT agent will develop a tentative itinerary that will be e-mailed to you.



4. Upon receiving the tentative itinerary, please contact the ESIT agent within 24 hours to confirm your itinerary, so that she can finalize your travel plans and issue your ticket. This is necessary so that we can obtain the most economical airfare.



5. The ESIT agent will send you a final itinerary via e-mail or fax after she issues an air e-ticket. If your itinerary requires rail or paper air tickets, the ESIT agent will e-mail you a final itinerary and will send your paper documents to you via overnight delivery.

Note: If you need to make any changes to your itinerary after you have been ticketed, you will need to contact the airline or train directly. All additional costs incurred from changes will be at your own expense.

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Airport Security Information
If you will be traveling by air, remember that heightened security has been implemented at all airports. Please be prepared to furnish e-ticket itineraries and receipts, along with government-issued photo identification, upon check-in. Travelers are advised to arrive at the airport 1½ to 2 hours prior to their scheduled departure to ensure ample time to clear security. Also, please keep in mind that check-in procedures and policies vary according to each airport and airline. Upon arrival at the airport, we suggest that you ask airline personnel about specific check-in procedures.

Automobile Travel

If a sponsored Speaker elects to drive to the conference, mileage reimbursement cannot exceed roundtrip coach class or discounted rate air or rail fare. Mileage is reimbursable at 48.5 cents per mile for a person using his/her personal vehicle to travel to and from the conference location. Tolls for highways and bridges are reimbursable, and as with other expenses, receipts must be submitted in order to be considered for reimbursement. For specific driving directions, refer to the Hotel Accommodations section below or visit Mapquest.

Ground Transportation

Washington, DC is served by a variety of ground transportation options. Below is a listing of several options for traveling from the airport or train station to the hotel. All estimated fares are one-way and per person unless otherwise specified.

SuperShuttle
Shuttle service is available to the hotel for approximately $12 from Reagan National Airport (DCA), $27 from Dulles International Airport (IAD), and $35 from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) using the SuperShuttle service. Shuttle reservations can be made by calling (800) BLUE-VAN or via the Internet at SuperShuttle. Reservations are required at least 12 hours in advance.

Taxi
Taxi stands are located at the baggage claim area of all local airports and at the front entrance of Union Station. Approximate fares are as follows: Reagan National - $19; Dulles - $55; BWI - $65; and Union Station - $10.

Metro
You can access the Washington National Airport Metro station on the main level of the Ronald Reagan Washington National airport. To get to the Hilton Washington, take the Yellow Line Metro service in the direction of Washington, DC to the Gallery Place/Chinatown Station stop and transfer to the Red Line on the upper level. Take the Red Line in the direction of Shady Grove/Grosvenor to the Dupont Circle Station stop. Once you get to the Dupont Circle stop, exit at the north end of the Station to Q Street and walk four blocks north on Connecticut Avenue. Complete Metro Rail System map.

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Hotel Accommodations for Speakers

The conference will be held in Washington, DC at the:

Hilton Washington
1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 483-3000
Fax: (202) 232-0438

ESI will reserve a room for sponsored Speakers requiring overnight accommodations at the Hilton Washington. Reservations will be made based on the information provided to ESI as part of the online conference registration process. Your hotel confirmation will be e-mailed to you by May 19, 2008.

Your room costs (room and tax ONLY) for the approved duration of your stay will be billed to ESI's master account. Participants should note that incidental charges including room service, telephone, movies, laundry, etc., are not reimbursable and are the responsibility of the individual guest. Participants will be asked to leave a credit card imprint at check-in to cover the cost of such incidental expenses.

Check-in time at the hotel is 3:00 pm and check-out time is 12:00 noon. Should you arrive early, the hotel will make every attempt to accommodate your check-in. However, if there are no rooms available upon your early arrival, your luggage will be stored until your room is available.

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Driving Directions to the Hotel

FROM RICHMOND & I-95 NORTH:
Take I 95 North to 395 North. Stay on 395 North and when you see the sign for Route One move to the left lane. This will take you to the 14th Street exit. Follow 395 North over the 14th Street Bridge. Stay in the left-hand lane. Take 14th Street to R Street, NW. Make a left on R Street and follow R Street for six blocks to Connecticut Avenue, NW. Make a right on Connecticut Avenue. The Hilton Washington will be three blocks up on the right.

FROM BALTIMORE & I-95 SOUTH:
Take I 95 South to 495 West. Take 495 West to exit 33; the sign will say Chevy Chase/Connecticut Avenue. Take Connecticut Avenue South. After approximately five miles on Connecticut Avenue you will see the National Zoo on your left. Five blocks after the zoo you will come to the William Taft Bridge. Cross the bridge and get into the left lane. At the third traffic light, make a left. The Hilton Washington will be on the left.

FROM ROUTE 50 WEST:
Take Route 50 West to New York Avenue. Stay on New York Avenue for approximately six miles then veer right on to Massachusetts Avenue. Take Massachusetts Avenue to DuPont Circle. Stay in the outer right-hand lane. Go a third of the way around the circle and make a right on to Connecticut Avenue. The Hilton Washington will be four blocks up on the right.

Should you require more detailed driving directions, please visit Mapquest.

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Speaker Guidelines

We are honored to have such a distinguished group of experts participating in this event and thank you for the time and effort you have agreed to put forth. In order to prepare participant materials for the conference, all speakers are required to submit the following items by the deadlines set forth below.

All presentations and handouts should be submitted by May 16, 2008 to:

Jennifer Pinder
Program Specialist
Educational Services, Inc. (ESI)
4350 East West Highway, Suite 1100
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (240) 744-7054
E-mail: jenniferp@esi-dc.com

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Important Things to Note

Each meeting room will be set with a head table and will be equipped with a tabletop podium and microphone, laptop computer (PC) with CD drive and USB ports, LCD projector, and screen. To confirm additional audiovisual requirements, please complete the audiovisual request section of the online conference registration form no later than April 28, 2008.

ESI will accept presentation and handout materials in any of the following formats: Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, or Excel, and Adobe PDF. Please note that we do not accept MAC files.

All presentations submitted in advance will be pre-loaded onto the computer in the session room. Because technology can be unreliable, however, it is strongly recommended that you bring a copy of your presentation with you on CD-ROM or USB flash drive on the day of the presentation as a back-up.

Copies of all presentations and handouts submitted prior to May 16, 2008 will be provided for your session room. Presentations will be printed in notes style with 3 slides to a page. If you do not submit a copy of your presentation and/or handouts in advance, please plan to provide your own copies on the day of the session*. Due to limited duplication capabilities we are unable to provide copies onsite.

*350 copies minimum for plenary session speakers and 100 copies minimum for breakout session speakers.

If you have questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact Jennifer Pinder at (240) 744-7054 or jenniferp@esi-dc.com.

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