VSCPA Request for Proposals

Call for Presentations

The Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA) holds up to 10 conferences each year as an exclusive advanced learning and networking opportunity for CPAs and other business and finance professionals.

Each conference has general sessions and concurrent sessions that allow attendees to customize their own experience and to leave the conference with tools they can use immediately. Our educational conferences are designed for sharing of ideas and helping participants learn new skills to enhance their success. The VSCPA accepts requests for proposals for conference presentations and encourages industry partners to develop dynamic sessions that would be valuable to our attendees.

As a potential discussion leader, please keep a few things in mind:

Competition
There are limited breakout spots, 50- or 100-minutes, available for each conference and they are in high demand. Competition will be stringent, but don't get discouraged. A wide variety of submissions are needed in order to find the best-of-the-best.

The Audience
All VSCPA conferences are designed as a high-level program. Content is specifically geared towards CPAs, CEOs, CFOs, controllers, mid- to senior-level accounting managers, staff accountants and other business professionals with an aptitude and interest in related topics. Our goal is to have participants walk away with ideas and innovative strategies to help them succeed both personally and professionally.

All attendees are looking for new ways to solve their current challenges and for ways to propel their careers and businesses forward.

Creating an EXPERIENCE
The VSCPA promises attendees of our educational offerings that we'll provide exceptional learning experiences and essential tools that will make them and their business more successful! That means we need sessions that have:

• Relevant content for an experienced audience
• How to's that stretch thinking and provide new approaches
• Content which is delivered in an engaging way and draws on the experience of the attendees
• Application exercises that involve the participants
• Attractive visuals that can be seen at a distance and which will make sense when participants leave
• Examples and real cases of what worked and what didn't
• Tools that can be applied in their organizations

Selection Process
Proposals need to be submitted within 10 months of each scheduled conference; however, we accept proposals year-round. You will receive a confirmation of your submission. Each submission will be reviewed by a team of CPA volunteers and staff — who will notify you if you are selected.

Topic Ideas
Our goal is to offer attendees the best knowledge and tools to do their jobs more effectively and to make their businesses more successful through a broad range of sessions. Some key topic areas are listed below. Please don't limit your presentation ideas to these topics. We are seeking the very best, most relevant and most thought-provoking ideas pertinent to the CPA profession.

    Financial management

• Benchmarking the success of programs old and new
• Business continuity planning
• Treasury management services

    Human resources

• Hiring and keeping top-notch staff
• Staying ahead of governance legislation
• Employee benefit services
• Approaches to succession planning

    Operations

• Inter-office communication and cooperation
• Space – lease vs. buy
• The challenges of running a small firm

    Practical tools

• Samples of whistle blowing and document retention policies
• Harnessing the power of new technologies (ie blogs, podcasts)
• Healthcare alternatives comparison
• Marketing tips and tools

    Other accounting topics

• Tax planning and updates
• Accounting and auditing
• Management of an accounting practice
• Financial issues faced by nonprofits
• Government standards and accounting issues
• Business valuation

Registration/Travel Info
VSCPA does not pay honorariums for conference speakers, but will reimburse reasonable travel expenses. All travel expenses will be discussed with the VSCPA conference administrator in advance; however, general guidelines include $35 per day for meals and mileage at current IRS rate. VSCPA staff will make hotel reservations on your behalf (if applicable). All content leaders receive complimentary registration and are encouraged to attend other sessions/activities.

Submission Instructions
All RFPs for VSCPA conferences must be submitted within 10 months of the event (but proposals are accepted year-round) to:

VSCPA Education Team
P.O. Box 4620, Glen Allen, VA 23058-4620
Fax to: (804) 273-1741
E-mail to: conferences@vscpa.com

Questions? Call the VSCPA Education Team at (800) 341-8189 or (804) 270-5344.