Where is Forum2025 located, and what are the parking options?

Forum2025 is being held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center:
1000 19th Street
Virginia Beach, VA, 23451

Free parking is available in lots on both sides of 19th Street, directly across from and adjacent to the convention center.

VBCC Website

What is the Supplier Connect Code of Conduct?

Supplier Connect will be held Tuesday morning 10:00AM-1:00PM. Please be aware of the below code of conduct:

• Wagons, trolleys, shopping carts, large shopping bags, etc. will not be permitted in the Supplier Connect event.
• In order to ensure there are enough for all, you may only take one (1) giveaway item per booth as these are permitted for registered in-person Forum participants.
• This code is designed to make Forum2025 welcoming for our supplier partners as well as Forum attendees. Violators may be asked to leave the Supplier Connect or Forum2025 at DGS discretion with no refunds given.

What is the recommended attire?

The recommended attire for Forum is business casual. We suggest wearing comfortable shoes, as you'll be walking between session rooms. Bringing a sweater or jacket is also advised, as meeting rooms can be cool.

Is Forum live streamed for virtual attendance?

No, Forum will not be live-streamed virtually in real-time. However, virtual attendees will have access to all session recordings through the VIP LMS after the event.

Why does the registration link take me to a Virginia Tech web page?

Virginia Tech’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education serves as the conference registrar for the Forum. As such, they create and maintain the registration pages, forms and process payments and refunds on behalf of the Department of General Services. They also send confirmation emails when registration is completed and provide support for the registration process. The Forum registrar at Virginia Tech is listed on the Forum Contact web page.

How do I register and pay by credit card?

You will register and pay for the Forum online using a link provided once registration opens.

Registration is not confirmed until payment is received.

Credit Cards: American Express, VISA, and MasterCard payments are accepted online.

Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education will send an email confirmation when card payment is processed. Print and save this email as your receipt.

Can I pay for registration with a P-card?

According to the Commonwealth Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual – SPCC Topic 20355: IAT for State Classes & Services (CARS) and Payment for State Classes & Services (Cardinal):

“The purchasing card may be used to pay for classes/services provided by another state agency only if the agency accepts VISA…”

Continuing and Professional Education at Virginia Tech, which acts as registrar for the Forum, accepts VISA so using a P-Card to pay for Forum registration is permissible.

Can I reserve my hotel before I pay for event registration?

No. In order to reserve your hotel room, you will need to first officially register for the event. Once you have your event registration confirmation and student identification number you will be able to reserve your hotel room.

Anyone who registers for the Forum before the registration deadline will be guaranteed one hotel room within the Forum hotel block. You are responsible for payment and timely reservation of your hotel room. Rooms blocked at our particular hotels are first come, first served. You will not be guaranteed a room at any particular hotel until you have completed the reservation process.

Note: You can only register one hotel room at a time and only with the student identification number emailed to you in your event registration confirmation. Payment for the hotel room is not due during the reservation process but a credit card guarantee is required. For more information on this, see the FAQ items regarding hotel payment below.

What is the refund and cancellation policy?

Requests for refunds will be honored when received by the announced registration deadline. Although refunds will not be possible after the announced deadline, another person may be substituted at any time for this program. Please note the below cancellation fees:

• $75 administrative fee will be deducted for attendee cancellations.
• $100 administrative fee will be deducted for exhibitor cancellation (single booth)
• $150 administrative fee will be deducted for exhibitor cancellation (double booth)

In the unlikely event that this program is canceled or postponed due to insufficient enrollments or unforeseen circumstances, Virginia Tech, on behalf of the Department of General Services, will fully refund registration fees but cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including cancellation or change charges assessed by airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organization.

Where do I check in when I get to the conference?

The conference registration desk will be located inside the convention center on the main floor.

What meals and refreshments are provided?

• Sunday: Light reception (coffee, tea, pastries) during registration
• Monday - Wednesday*: Morning break (refreshments and morning snack)
• Monday & Tuesday: Lunch provided and afternoon break.

*Please note: Breakfast is not provided. A mid-morning snack break is available, but refreshment breaks are not considered full meals

What if I have special dietary needs?

The Forum offers vegetarian meal options that generally accommodate common medically necessary dietary needs. Please indicate any dietary restrictions when completing your registration form.

Due to the complexity of serving large group meals, we are unable to accommodate personal dietary preferences. If needed, check with your hotel to see if a mini-fridge is available to store personal food items.

Is the hotel rate subject to change?

State lodging rates are governed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates effective October 1 of each year. Rate changes generally are announced in August. To determine whether the rate changes this fall, search for Virginia Beach as your travel destination using the search criteria on the website:

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877

Should I contact a hotel directly to reserve a room?

No, all Forum rooms must be booked through the central reservation system. Individual hotels have been instructed not to offer the Forum room rate for rooms booked outside the contracted blocks. The Forum team has negotiated significant discounts for meeting space and transportation that rely on a fixed number of rooms booked through the central reservation system. Your cooperation in booking through the central reservation system helps ensure we can continue offering Forum registration at a modest cost.

Do Forum hotels allow direct bill?

No, in the conference industry, it is general practice for hotels to allow direct bill only to the organization that has a lodging contract, in this case DGS. Although your agency may use direct bill for lodging on other agency business, conference lodging is treated differently and you should not anticipate being able to secure individual direct bill arrangements with any of the Forum hotels.

Can my organization pay for lodging rooms using a P-Card if the P-Card holder is not attending the Forum?

Hotels have identified a credit authorization process that allows for payment of one or more lodging rooms with a small purchase charge card that will not necessarily be presented at check-in. The credit authorization process requires disclosure of only the last four digits of the credit card number on the authorization form. The entire credit card number will be associated with the online reservation and therefore full disclosure of the card number on the authorization form is not necessary. The credit authorization process replaces in-person card presentation for lodging payment but does not eliminate the requirement for each lodger to present a separate card for incidentals billed to their room. Check with the hotel front desk manager or hotel revenue manager to use the credit authorization process.

Do Forum hotels honor the state rate before or after the Forum?

The hotels honor the state rate two days before and two days after the Forum.

How many recertification contact hours can I earn?

Up to 15 contact hours can be earned for attending the in-person event in full, which includes 2 contact hours for attendance at the Supplier Connect and .5 contact hours for the Monday lunch presentation. To receive full credit, register before the sessions begin on Monday and attend all Forum events through the close of the Forum on Wednesday, including the Supplier Connect. Be sure to complete the survey for each session, accessible via the Forum app by COB 11/25/2025, to have your attendance recorded on the VIP LMS.

All sessions will be recorded and accessible on the VIP LMS approximately 30 days after the close of the live event until June 30th (Forum2024 is available now until June 30, 2025, and Forum2025 will be available after the live event until June 30, 2026). You can earn a further 18 credit hours by watching the recorded sessions you did not attend live, for a total of 33 credit hours.

How do I track my attendance?

Complete the survey for each session you attend while at Forum from the Forum app. Once you access the recorded sessions on the Virginia Institute of Procurement's Learning Management System (LMS), your attendance will have been marked complete with your contact hours automatically awarded. For attendees without smartphones, the app can be accessed via a tablet or desktop computer using the app link.

It is vitally important that your registration information matches your information in the VIP LMS to ensure all credit for sessions you attend applies to your VIP LMS account. If you ever need to change your information with VIP, contact VIPregistration@dgs.virginia.gov. If you need to correct your Forum registration information, log in to the registration system to correct your data.

Will I receive an attendance certificate?

No, attendance certificates are not provided for the Forum during the event. After you complete your surveys for the in-person sessions and your attendance is uploaded into the LMS, or you view the recorded sessions after the live event online, a certificate for each individual session attended will be available in the VIP LMS which lists the hours obtained for both VCA/VCO/VCM/VCARM hours and CPE credit hours. The total hours earned will be reflected on the header of your transcript in the VIP LMS. This step was taken to conserve paper and because it follows the practice of other certifying entities.

How do I download the Forum App?

Upon launch, registered participants will receive an email with further instructions on how to download the app.

How do I log in to the Forum app?

If you are a registered Forum participant, you will receive an email from the Forum Team containing your login information. If you recently registered, please allow up to five business days before you receive your login information.

What does the Forum App do?

With the conference app, you can:

• Browse and search sessions, speakers, and suppliers.
• Build your schedule.
• See gaps in your daily calendar and easily fill them.
• Find your way around using interactive floor maps.
• Take notes and access abstracts or presentation slides.
• Receive updates on schedule and session changes.
• Participate in the interactive scavenger hunt on Tuesday at Supplier Connect.
• Easily share contact information with other attendees.

Do I have to use my data while downloading and using the app?

To avoid using data, download the app while connected to WiFi. You will be able to access most features without needing WiFi or data. A free WiFi network will be available during the Forum at the Convention Center.

Do I need to use the app to get attendance credit for VCA/VCO/VCM/VCARM or CPE credit hours?

Yes. You will complete the survey included in the app for all in-person sessions you attend. This will automatically mark these sessions as complete in the Virginia Institute of Procurement's Learning Management System (LMS) and add the credit hours you have earned to your VIP Transcript. The app can be accessed via smartphone, tablet, or computer link. You will then able to access the recorded sessions on the VIP LMS to earn full credit for the event.