Call for Proposals for NECA’s 2021 Annual Convention
Each year the NECA Annual Convention provides members with the tools needed to keep their companies on top with cutting-edge educational programs. We are seeking proposals on a wide-range of topics in the electrical contracting industry April 1, 2021.
New for 2021, the NECA Convention will be delivered in a hybrid approach with educational sessions broadcast to a remote audience as a mix of live and time delayed programming.
Topics and content should be appropriate for the typical 50-minute presentation duration. Additionally, NECA is looking for a mix of introductions to broad topics and in-depth discussions with a narrow focus. All presentations should focus on key issues in the industry, engage participants, feature audio visual elements, and provide participants with a measurable takeaway from the program. Participants should walk away from each course with a new skill or knowledge that they can use to move their company forward. Sessions that are solely designed to queue up a product, service, or another educational course will not be permitted.
Across all sessions, preference will be given to sessions that include a NECA member contractor as a member of the presentation team.
Format and Presentation Types
To engage a large number of participants at varying levels of their career, there are different formats to our educational sessions at the 2021 NECA Annual Convention and Trade Show. You must select only one presentation type for each submission.
NECA Convention Education Sessions
Focusing on hot topics and key issues in the electrical construction industry, these presentations will cover a broad range of topics from communications to labor relations to safety. All presentations will be held within a two-hour block on the mornings of October 10-12 and will either be presented as a 50-minute presentation that is immediately repeated or as a one-time 110-minute presentation.
NECA Show Education Sessions
NECA offers a wide variety of education on the trade show floor. All sessions will be held during show hours on October 10, 11, and 12. Presentations will be centered around three different rooms on the show floor:
Leadership
The NECA Show has a wide audience of attendees at all different levels of their career and these 50-minute workshops focusing on leadership topics will address their growth and leadership path.
Technology
These workshops will discuss the cutting-edge technologies NECA contractors need to stay ahead. Presentations should focus on industry needs, innovation and the future of electrical construction.
Construction Solutions
These sessions will examine common problems that electrical contractors face and the solutions—whether human or process—that others used to overcome them.
NECA Show exhibitors are encouraged to apply for the Construction Solutions and Technology workshops, with preference given to submissions that include NECA contractors and/or feature multiple companies.
Proposal Areas
We are interested in receiving proposals on the below areas:
Convention Education Proposal Areas
- Business best practices
- Business etiquette
- Change orders
- Communication best practices
- Conflict management
- Construction law
- Construction scheduling
- Contract term negotiations
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Documentation
- Emerging markets
- Financial planning and accounting
- How CW/CE programs have helped get work
- How to save money with preplanning
- HR/Legal topics for small companies
- Internal financial controls
- Internet security
- Labor savings and efficiency
- Managing workplace safety
- Mentoring
- Payment collection
- Pension benefit plans
- Personality differences in the workplace
- Prefabrication for small companies
- Productivity
- Recruiting/attracting new talent
- Risk identification and mitigation
- Setting up internship programs
- Social media & websites
- Strategic planning for your business
- Succession planning
- Suicide prevention
- Time management
- Vehicle and fleet management
- Working with construction managers
Leadership Workshop Proposal Areas
- Communication best practices
- Conflict management
- Crisis communications
- Delegation
- Mentoring
- Personality differences in the workplace
- Productivity
- Progressive discipline
- Recruiting/attracting new talent
- Servant leadership
- Setting up internship programs
- Strategic planning for your business
- Succession planning
- Time management
Technology Workshop Proposal Areas
- Building automation controls
- Building information modeling
- Construction scheduling
- Energized work training
- Energy efficiency
- Energy storage
- Ergonomics
- How technology is changing jobs
- How to save money with preplanning
- IT technology (IoT)
- Lean Construction
- Lighting controls
- Material/supply chain management
- Power over ethernet (PoE)
- Prefabrication
- Prefabrication for small companies
- Software that all business need
- Use of technology in the field
- Vehicle and fleet management
Construction Solutions Workshop Proposal Areas
- Building information modeling
- Business best practices
- Change orders
- Contract term negotiations
- Delays
- Documentation
- Early warning signs that you’re on a bad job
- Energized work training
- Ergonomics
- How CW/CE programs have helped get work
- How to save money with preplanning
- Labor savings and efficiency
- Lean Construction
- Lesson learned in electrical construction
- Material/supply chain management
- Partnering
- Prefabrication
- Prefabrication for small companies
- Risk identification and mitigation
- Vehicle and fleet management
- Working with construction managers
Important Dates
April 1, 2021 – Responses to Call for Proposals due
May 26, 2021 – Speakers notified of selection
October 9-12, 2021 – NECA Convention in Nashville, TN