NASPP Proposal Submission Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in speaking at the NASPP Annual Conference! Any questions about the proposal submission process can be emailed to RFP@naspp.com. Please note all proposals must be submitted via this website; proposals cannot be submitted via email.

GUIDELINES

• Maximum of three proposals from one company or firm. Proposals submitted by other companies that you are included on do not count towards this maximum.
• All proposals must be completed by the deadline. Partial proposals will not be accepted.
• Panels of no more than four panelists from multiple companies are preferred.
• Case studies are encouraged and must include a representative from the studied company.

NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS

We expect to announce the proposals that have been accepted in April.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

We look for presentations that meet the following criteria:

• Focus on providing practical tips and advice. Attendees should receive enough information to be able to act on the advice given during the presentation.
• Include multiple points of view and perspectives. Including speakers from other firms on your panel expands the depth of information you can provide to attendees.
• Present new information, advanced topics, and/or in-depth details. Many of our attendees are very experienced in this industry; introductory or high-level presentations generally do not provide enough information for them.
• Cover relevant and timely topics. A list of topics that we are particularly interested in is included below.

Read our Top Ten Tips for Creating a Successful Proposal for additional information.

SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

You’ll need to provide the following information to submit your proposal:

Presentation Details:

• Title
• Description
• Audience benefit
• Six to ten speaking points that will be covered in the presentation
• Instruction level (basic, intermediate, advanced)
• Discipline (plan design, administration, communication and education, taxation, accounting, legal, multi-disciplinary)

Speaker Information (for each participant):

• Contact information
• Biography

All proposals must be submitted via the NASPP's proposal submission website. With typically more than 150 proposals submitted for consideration, it is critical that we receive them in an orderly manner. Our proposal submission website ensures that your proposal includes all the information we need to evaluate your submission. We will not consider proposals that are not submitted via the website.

SPEAKER POLICY

• We are pleased to offer all speakers complimentary admission to the conference.
• Speakers are responsible for their own travel expenses. Unfortunately, the NASPP cannot reimburse speakers for their hotel, meal, or other travel expenses.
• We ask that speakers submit handouts and other printed materials for their presentation. In addition to a copy of the presentation itself, these materials should include a written outline of the material presented, articles and/or papers written on the presentation topic, and other reference tools (such as charts, tables, checklists, examples, and sample documentation). If your proposal is accepted, we will notify you of the exact deadline for submitting these materials.

PRESENTATION TOPICS

We are particularly interested in proposals on the following topics:

• Hot Topics: Performance-based equity, IPOs, mergers & acquisitions, proxy disclosures, employee mobility and other areas of regulatory or industry focus.
• Accounting: Practical guidance on option valuation, modification accounting, internal controls and IFRS. In-depth presentations on specific accounting areas such as tax accounting, earnings-per-share, ESPP, etc.
• Regulatory: Detailed coverage of specific regulatory areas such as Sections 423 and 6039 compliance, cost-basis reporting, Section 162(m), Section 409A, new regulations, and administrative challenges and practices.
• Plan Administration: Specific areas of administration such as restricted stock administration, tax withholding procedures, insider transactions, disqualifying dispositions, year-end procedures, etc. Discussion of creative solutions to administrative challenges, participant education and communication, and efficiencies in stock plan management.
• Plan Design: Innovative arrangements or plan features, performance plans, plan pitfalls and best practices, ground-breaking plan designs, and investor or shareholder considerations.
• Insider Transactions: Practical guidance on Rule 144, Section 16, Rule 10b5-1 trading plans, and insider trading compliance.
• International: In-depth presentations on specific areas of international law such labor law, new regulations, specific country or regional information and innovative solutions to administrative challenges.

Proposals are not limited to the above topics. Preference will be given to presentations that deliver specific practical guidance, case studies, and in-depth coverage of relevant areas. Please avoid topics that are high-level presentations and general overviews.

TOP TEN TIPS FOR CREATING A SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL

The NASPP typically receives over 150 proposals from individuals and groups requesting to present at the Annual Conference. Here are some helpful suggestions that you can use to ensure your proposal stands out from the rest.

1. Be creative. Be Different. Be Innovative. You can be sure that someone else has thought of giving an overview of the latest hot topic. Proposals that take a unique approach, provide in-depth coverage, and offer new perspectives are more likely to be accepted. Do not submit proposals on the same topics you submitted last year; we are looking for new and different workshops that offer unique perspectives.
2. Be practical. The NASPP strives to provide practical guidance our members can really use. Next steps, action items, practice pointers, and insider tips should be part of every presentation; proposals for presentations that will clearly include this information (e.g., top ten lists, action plans, etc.) automatically receive preference.
3. Be compelling and descriptive. Put on your marketing hat and write a concise description that clearly describes your proposed presentation and how our attendees will benefit from it. Concrete, measurable take-aways are especially compelling (e.g., checklists, action plans, practice pointers, pitfalls to avoid, etc.).
4. Include clients. Company case studies are highly valued by our attendees; proposals that include panelists from issuer companies automatically receive preference.
5. Don't go solo. We accept very few proposals that feature solo presenters. We especially prefer panels that feature speakers from different firms, so that a variety of perspectives are represented on the panel. If you do submit a solo proposal, expect us to ask you to be part of a panel if we accept your proposal.
6. Be clever. Workshop titles are more important than you might think. Make your proposal stand out from the rest with a concise, clever title that clearly indicates the presentation topic.
7. Be complete. Make sure you have supplied all requested information, including a description of the presentation, speaking points, and biographies for all panelists. Proposals are evaluated based on the information provided; in particular, panelists that are not identified in the proposal are not considered. For example, if a proposal indicates that there will be four panelists, but only three panelists are identified, we will evaluate that proposal based only on the three identified panelists.
8. Be flexible. We frequently combine separate proposals into a single workshop and we may ask you to adjust your topic slightly. In some cases, we may not accept your proposals but may ask you to speak on a different topic altogether.
9. Be substantive, not sales-like. Presentations should be educational in nature; proposals for presentations that feature your products and services will not be accepted.
10. Submit more than one proposal. We will accept a maximum of three proposals from any one company or firm. Proposals that you are included on from other firms do not count against your company's maximum. The more proposals you submit or are included on, the greater your chances of speaking at the Annual Conference.

Bonus Tip: If your proposal is accepted, do a good job. Read the speaker policy and know your responsibilities as a speaker. Provide all requested information on time. Submit supplementary information such as articles, memos, and other materials for the Conference Books, in addition to your PowerPoint presentation. Practice your presentation in advance, stay on topic and give practical information. Past speaker performance is a very important consideration when we evaluate proposals.