Tag Archives: FedForum

Fed Forum 2013 Videos and Briefings Posted

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Originally posted by Bob Gourley on CTOvision

One of the challenges in very popular events like the FedForum is the breakout sessions are all worth attending but you can't be in more than one place at the same time. Fortunately much of the content from these sessions has been captured. You can see video and download slides from all the sessions.

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More conferences fall victim to tight budgets

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Originally posted by Eric Yoder on The Washington Post

Add two annual conferences on federal employee benefits to the list of meetings that have fallen victim to the current fiscal climate.

The Office of Personnel Management told agencies Wednesday that "based on the current budgetary situation facing Federal agencies," it is canceling its 2013 Benefits Conference, which last year was held in June, and its Fall Festival of Training, held last year in November. "Our survey of headquarters benefits officers indicated very few benefit officers will be able to attend this year," it said.

"We will work to develop alternative training opportunities such as webcasts during the rest of this year. While they will not be a complete, nor in some ways sufficient, substitute for the conference, they will allow us to continue providing training for benefits officers on critical issues," the message to agencies said.

The conferences are geared toward educating federal benefits officers about the details of employee benefits, improving their counseling skills and similar instruction.

The General Services Administration similarly recently canceled several conferences, also citing expected low attendance. Under guidance from the Office of Management Budget and internal policies, agencies are limiting spending on travel, training, conferences and similar expenses.

OPM said it plans to conduct a benefits training event in Pittsburgh next spring.

GSA cuts last of its national conferences scheduled for this year

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Originally posted by Josh Hicks on The Washington Post

The General Services Administration canceled the last of its national conferences scheduled for this year due to a lack of demand from agencies facing budget constraints, the administration announced Monday.

The GSA said it suspended its FedForum, which the agency had planned for July 16-18 in New Orleans, and its SmartPay training event, slated for Aug. 6-8 in Chicago.

Acting GSA Administrator Dan Tangherlini.

The cancellations mark the second time in less than a month that the agency has called off major events due to a lack of demand. In February, the GSA suspended its annual expo and training conference.

"In the current fiscal climate, agencies and businesses alike have been forced to make tough spending cuts," the GSA said in a statement Monday. "After carefully reviewing the projected spending and attendance for this year's conferences, GSA will suspend both in an effort to use our resources more responsibly."

SmartPay is the federal government's charge-card program. Last year, more than 6,400 people attended the GSA's SmartPay training event in Las Vegas, but only 151 people had registered so far for this year's event in Chicago, according to the agency.

Instead of moving ahead with the Chicago conference, the GSA said it plans to offer a virtual SmartPay forum this fall.

FedForum is an annual GSA training event relating to acquisition, motor vehicles, aviation, transportation, boats, real property, personal property, and green buildings.

GSA said only 192 people had registered for this year's event, compared to 211 at around the same time last year.

GSA spokeswoman Mafara Hobson said the agency was still determining how much savings the cancellations would create for the federal government.

Last year, former GSA Administrator Martha N. Johnson resigned, and a host of other top agency officials were fired or placed on leave amid reports of lavish spending at a regional conference near Las Vegas.

(Image by Alex Wong -- Getty Images)

1,090 New Conferences, Training Events, & Webcasts Posted on GovEvents So Far This Year

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Although conference cancellations continue to trickle in, don't get discouraged. For every one cancellation, there are hundreds of new event opportunities that can provide the valuable training and education often garnered at these large conferences.  In fact, as of today (March 14, 2013), 1,090 new conferences, training events, and webcasts have been posted to GovEvents since the start of 2013, and thousands more will be added throughout the year.

A frequent request from our members is an updated list of event cancellations and postponements, so here is the latest list we have.  If you know of any others, please shoot us an email: info@govevents.com

Postponed:

Cancelled:

Cancelled Events Earlier this Year: