Dear Vendors:

I want to recognize that without your support, SEPA conferences would not be possible. From the very beginning, I wish to say “Thank you”. I also want to recognize that in an IPS year, vendors may have fewer dollars to support regional conferences. One way SEPA has attempted to mitigate costs for a vendor is by extending an invitation to other conferences to attend ours. We are thrilled that our colleagues in the Western Alliance Conference (WAC) agree and will be joining SEPA. In making decisions as to where you are putting your conference/tradeshow dollars, I hope that you will agree the economy of scale with a joint conference would make this a great conference to support. Further, we have reduced our Conference Sponsorship levels to make SEPA/WAC 2016 even more affordable. I have also adjusted the vendor hall schedule so that it is only two half-days. The hall shall be closed during plenary sessions and I have provided exclusive vendor hall time to encourage delegates’ access to vendors’. The one field trip for the conference takes place after the vendor hall closes and all planetarium vendor presentations are made. Therefore, if vendors wish to leave the conference, they can do so knowing that they have had full access to the delegates for most of the conference.

Here is what you can expect for your sponsorship:

First, all vendor presentations shall take place in the Gayle Planetarium’s 50′ dome. They shall be plenary and will alternate with paper sessions and scheduled panel discussions under the dome. This will guarantee respectable delegate attendance/participation during the vendor presentation and eliminate the monotony of back-to-back vendor or paper presentations.

In addition, this year there will be two “show” domes at SEPA/WAC 2016 for show producers/distributors to show their wares. I want to be considerate of your time, and scheduling shows to run until 1 am or 2 am in the morning is not productive for either the vendor or the delegate. To that end:

Show Dome #1

A 20′ diameter show dome with stereo sound system and 2400 X 2400 resolution full-dome system. It will seat app. 25 delegates. Shows will be running continuously on Tuesday & Wednesday mornings. These same shows will be presented during the evening hospitality times on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Therefore, each movie is screened at least twice; once in the morning and once in the evening. The Hospitality Suite is nearby to this dome. Delegates will be able to sit with their favorite beer in hand and watch this content during the hospitality time.

We estimate a total of 4 hours of content shown twice in this venue. It will be shown on a published schedule in the program and will have 5 minutes between showings. This venue is booked on a first come, first serve basis. Cost will be $175/feature full-dome movie plus any cost for conversion to playback format, if any.

Show Dome #2

W.A. Gayle Planetarium’s 50′ dome 155 seat venue with a 5.1 sound system and a 2400 x 2400 resolution full-dome system.

We currently estimate a total time for four feature-length showings at this venue on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Time allotted is length of feature show plus 1 minute introduction and 1 minute for follow-up. Cost will be $750 per full-dome movie plus any cost for conversion to playback format, if any.

Wednesday’s lunch is the Vendor’s lunch with the delegates. Continuing a tradition started by David Dundee, each company will be able to address the entire delegation for up to 5 minutes. Your company logo will be projected. We also ask that if you have a door prize that you bring it and announce it at this time.

Upon registration, we will ask you to provide a brief description of your services. We will then provide that in a packet to our new members. We recognize that your time is valuable, and we want to ensure the right people get to your table. In other words, if someone is looking for show content, and you do dome painting, you will not have to spend your time directing them elsewhere.

Finally we have determined the following sponsorship levels. We want you to get the most “Bang for the Buck”, and in turn hope that you will help us to make A Big Bang with your support:

sponsor_levels

Donor Levels – Updated 30 Jan 2016

Please contact Rick Evans for questions related to benefits offered at the various sponsorship levels
pennyPenny
Aspiring, still have to eat actor level: Holy crap on a cracker! I’m sorry, shoes, but you have to go back.

  1. 8′ x 8′ space with a 6’ table in the vendor area
  2. Listing in the program
  3. Participation in the vendor lunch

Price: $250.00

howardHoward Wolowitz
Yay! I’m invited to donate to SEPA. If you’ll excuse me, I have some bar mitzvah bonds to cash.

  1. 8′ x 8′ space with a 6’ table in the vendor area
  2. Listing in the program
  3. Participation in the vendor lunch
  4. Eighth of a page in the conference program

Price: $450.00

raj“Raj” Koothrappali, Ph.D
If you don’t donate to SEPA – “I’m going to be deported. Sent home in disgrace. Exposed to the sardonic barbs of my cousin Sanjay or, as you may know him, Dave from AT&T customer service”.

  1. 8′ x 8′ space with a 6’ table in the vendor area
  2. Listing in the program
  3. Participation in the vendor lunch
  4. Eighth of a page in the conference program
  5. SOLD OUT 15 minute slot in the Planetarium (producers – full dome trailers in the 50’ dome)
  6. One free conference Registration

Price: $900.00

amyAmy Farrah Fowler, Ph.D
“I have a lab full of coked up monkeys with nothing to lose” if you don’t donate to SEPA!

  1. 8′ x 8′ space with a 6’ table in the vendor area
  2. Listing in the program
  3. Participation in the vendor lunch
  4. Quarter page ad in the conference program.
  5. SOLD OUT 20 minute slot in the Planetarium (producers – full dome trailers in the 50’ dome)
  6. Two free conference registrations
  7. Your logo on Welcome Banners
  8. Opportunity to be a sponsor for a lunch or break (if available at registration)

Price: $1,800.00

leonardLeonard Leakey Hofstadter, Ph.D.
That doesn’t sound right. My research has shown it takes three to five years of shameless begging for a SEPA donation this size.

  1. 8′ x 8′ space with a 6’ table in the vendor area
  2. Listing in the program
  3. Participation in the vendor lunch
  4. Half page ad in the conference program
  5. SOLD OUT 30 minute slot in the Planetarium 50’ dome
  6. Three free conference registrations
  7. Your logo on Welcome Banners
  8. Opportunity to be a sponsor for a lunch or break or dinner (if available at registration)
  9. SOLD OUT! Opportunity to sponsor the hospitality suite (limited to first to register and request at this level)
  10. Opportunity to sponsor Trip to the Wetumpka Meteor Crater (limited to first to register and request at this level)

Price: $2,250.00

sheldonSheldon Lee Cooper, Ph.D., Sc.D.
That’s no reason to cry. One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid, and not donating to SEPA at this level, and that makes me sad.

  1. 8′ x 8′ space with a 6’ table in the vendor area
  2. Listing in the program
  3. Participation in the vendor lunch
  4. Full page ad in conference program
  5. SOLD OUT 30 minute slot in the Planetarium (producers – full dome trailers in the 50’ dome)
  6. Four free conference registrations
  7. Your logo on Welcome Banners
  8. Opportunity to be a sponsor for lunch or breaks or dinner (if available at registration)
  9. SOLD OUT Opportunity to sponsor the hospitality suite (limited to first to register and request at this level)
  10. Opportunity to sponsor Trip to the Wetumpka Meteor Crater (limited to first to register and request at this level)
  11. SOLD OUT Sponsorship of Friday’s banquet and banquet speaker (limited to first to register and request at this level)
  12. SOLD OUT Logo on the conference bag (limited to first to register and request at this level)

Price: $3,000.00

Tables, chairs and all electrical and internet are supplied at no charge in the vendor area.
Vendors may purchase additional vendor spaces in 8′ x 8′ blocks (64 sq, ft.) at $250/block. If a vendor wishes to bring a dome, they must purchase spaces in these block sizes.

Vendor areas will be located in the Embassy Suites Hotel, Embassy II exhibit Hall. This area has easy access to the loading dock. All coffee breaks and afternoon breaks will be served in the vendor area. This area has access to power and free Wi-Fi. Embassy security will guarantee no access to the Banquet Room during times when vendor area is closed.
conference-floor-plan
Salons D –E – F = Each are 36 X 25 with 13 ½ foot ceilings

Finally and most importantly, payment terms:

  1. Letter of Commitment – If you wish to commit to a sponsorship level early to ensure a particular time slot or benefit, you may send a Letter of Commitment, and your slot will be held until January 15, 2016.
  2. A deposit of at least 50% of your total amount due must be received not later than Friday, January 15th 2016 to continue holding your slot.
  3. The total amount due must be paid in full not later than April 1st, 2016 to guarantee your slot will be held.

Thank you again for your past support of the SEPA conferences, and I would sincerely appreciate your continued support with the 2016 conference.

Rick Evans, Director
W.A. Gayle Planetarium
1010 Forest Ave.
Montgomery Al 36106
rlevans@troy.edu
1-334-625-4799 (Office)
1-334-467-0174 (Cell)