Introduction to the
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Process
between ComSoc GIMS and ICC/GLOBECOM Organizing Committee (OC)

During the process of bidding for and then staging an ICC Globecom, one or more agreements between the bidding/organizing committee are documented through MOU's.   This is done in order to minimize the misunderstandings and miscommunications that are inevitable over the 48 months or more required to create and stage a conference.  Described below are the three typical MOU agreements that are required at different stages of the timeline leading up to a conference.

        1) MOU - Primary Policy Requirements for Site Selection

This MOU describes those policies under which a conference must operate that are required by the ComSoc Board of Governors (BoG).  The MOU covers some basic financial and procedural policies as well as the necessity for adherence to ComSoc ethical guidelines.  This MOU must be signed by the proposing organizing committee before GIMS can approve a bid.   This MOU is available here.

         2) MOU - Financial Participation Agreement

This MOU describes the partnership arrangement between the local organizing committee, the local ComSoc chapter or IEEE section, a sister society, if one is involved, and ComSoc.   It deals with the financial participation of the different parties to the agreement in the profit/loss of the conference, and what is expected of each party in return for this participation.  This MOU will be unique to each conference, but a typical version is available here.

        3) MOU - Meeting Management

This MOU details the assignment of responsibilities for staff and volunteers with regard to the actual running of the conference including conference management, food and beverages, housing, logistics, and promotion and marketing.  In addition, this MOU details the assignment of responsibilities with regard to developing the conference budget, meeting cost recovery goals, managing the day to day financial affairs of the conference, and dealing with methods of invoicing, payments, auditing, and closure of the books.  Finally, this MOU details the assignment of responsibilities with regard to procuring the venue for the conference itself and the required hotel commitment.  Each conference will have a unique MOU in this area.