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BPA WORLDWIDE Standards for Conducting Business-to-Business Exhibition and Event Audits
1.0 GENERAL
At minimum, the audit shall include a validation of verified attendance, attendees' contact information, and basic demographics used to qualify the target audience within the market segment the event represents as collected as part of the registration process.
2.0 AUDIT ORGANIZATION
The firm or organization conducting the audit of an event shall be an independent third-party firm or organization not affiliated with the event organizer and approved by the Exhibition and Event Audit Commission.
3.0 AUDIT PROCESS
The firm or organization shall adhere to the following standards for the audit process:
3.1 Prior to the exhibition or event, review the advance and on-site registration system to ensure the validity of the process for collecting registration data. This will include, but is not limited to, reviewing the registration form and fields, registration categories, and all processes for registering and verifying visitors.
3.2 After the event, the event organizer shall provide the auditors with a clean ('de-duped') electronic database of all claimed registrants with full name, address and contact information, and all registration data collected and/or assigned to each registrant including, but not limited to: demographics, registration category codes as defined herein (see Section 7.0 Definitions), and on-site and advance registration codes and attendance verification code.
3.3 No registrant can be audited if that registrant is not included in the database provided by the event organizer.
3.4 The event organizer shall submit summation reports of all registration statistics and/or exhibit space data to be audited.
3.5 The testing and validation of the claimed registrant database (see section 3.2) shall at minimum include:
3.5.1 A review of the entire database to check for duplicate records, missing data, etc.
3.5.2 A tabulation of all records in the electronic database of claimed registrants for:
·attendance verification/non-verification code
·on-site and advance registration code
·registration category codes as defined herein (see Sections 5.4 and 7.0)
·codes for responses provided by the registrant to demographic questions
3.5.3 A comparison of the auditor's tabulations (above) to the summation of the same data as provided by the event organizer, with an analysis provided of the resulting variances.
3.5.4 Testing of the database of claimed verified attendees to validate actual attendance:
·The testing shall be based on a representative sample of all attendees within each major registration category being audited (i.e., exhibit-only attendees, conference attendees, etc.).
·Samples shall be of a size to ensure the accuracy of each attendee registration category being audited, and if necessary, to make statistically reliable adjustments to attendance figures in each registration category.
·The primary test of the database will include contacting the sample(s) by phone, email, mail, fax or a combination of these methods to verify that they attended and that all encoded demographic information that is to be reported in the audit statement is correct.
3.5.5 Testing of the database of those claimed as not verified as having attended the event to determine if they actually attended, if requested by the event organizer.
·A questionnaire shall be distributed by mail, fax, telephone or email to all non-verified registrants asking if they attended the event and if the data held in the database that is to be reported in the audit statement is accurate.
·Only those responding as having attended may be included in the count of verified attendees. There can be no projection of the respondents to the total count of non-verified registrants.
3.5.6 Summation of audited data of verified attendees and confirmed attendees (previously non-verified) to yield total attendee counts of:
·Registration category codes as defined herein (see Sections 5.4 and 7.0).
·Codes for responses provided by the registrant to demographic questions.
4.0 ADJUSTMENTS
Adjustments to attendance figures or demographics will be made (if required) based on the results of the above tests. Adjustments shall be reviewed with the event organizer, but the final decision to make adjustments rests with the auditing organization.
5.0 AUDIT REPORT CONTENTS
The audit report shall include the following as requirements, unless otherwise noted:
·Cross tabulations of data are optional.
·If graphs are included, the text table from which the graph is based shall be shown.
5.1 Basic exhibition or event information:
·OFFICIAL NAME OF EVENT
·DATES OF EVENT
·exhibit
·conference
·LOCATION
·EVENT ORGANIZER NAME
·FREQUENCY OF EVENT
·ADDRESS OF THE EVENT ORGANIZER to include:
·mailing address
·phone
·fax
·URL
·NAME AND DATE EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED
·NAME AND DATE AS IT IS CURRENTLY NAMED/BRANDED (if changed)
·LOCATION OF NEXT EVENT (optional)
·DATE OF NEXT EVENT (optional)
·exhibit (optional)
·conference (optional)
5.2 STATEMENT OF MARKET SERVED
·Brief, auditable, fact-based description of attendees, which may include attendees' qualifying characteristics.
5.3 REGISTRATION POLICY AND FEES, IF ANY
·Brief description of admission requirements
·Schedule of fees listed
5.4 AUDITED ATTENDANCE ANALYSIS
5.4.1 Table of audited attendance figures by the following registration categories:
·EXHIBIT ONLY ATTENDEES
·CONFERENCE ATTENDEES
·SUBTOTAL: EXHIBIT ONLY AND CONFERENCE ATTENDEES
·SPEAKERS
·MEDIA & ANALYSTS
·REGISTERED EXHIBITORS, NON-EXHIBITING SPONSORS & THEIR SUPPORT STAFF
·TOTAL
5.4.2 Attendees may only be counted in one registration category. In cases of multiple categories applying to one attendee, those who meet the "Conference Attendee" definition shall override all over registration categories. Those who meet the "Exhibit Only" definition shall override all registration categories except Conference Attendee.
5.5 FIVE-YEAR HISTORY OF AUDITED ATTENDANCE
This shall be in compliance with industry-accepted definitions (see Section 7.0) and shall report all categories as provided in Section 5.4. All certified audits, beginning with the current audit, shall be included in the five-year history, regardless of the audit organization performing the work. However, audits conducted prior to the issuing of these standards may be included, appropriately footnoted, at event organizers' option.
5.6 EXHIBITORS AND NET EXHIBIT SPACE (OPTIONAL)
Optionally, event organizers may elect to audit and report their net exhibit space (see Sections 6.0 and 7.0). If the data is audited, the reporting shall include the total number of exhibitors and total net and net paid exhibit space.
5.7 AUDITED CLASSIFICATION OF ATTENDEES
Shall include the results of demographic questions audited (optional, except where required to qualify the target audience defined in 5.2) and geographical distribution of attendees. Each table of results shall be based on total audited attendance, i.e., including attendees who did not provide an answer to each demographic question. Percentages reported shall be based on total attendees. Percentages may also be reported based on those who have answered the specific question.
5.8 ADDITIONAL DATA (OPTIONAL)
Optionally, other information may be audited and included within the audit report. However, the information shall be census-based and included within the attendee database and/or exhibitor database (i.e., not survey questions added to the audit testing procedure). Examples of this optional information are actual number of attendees from specific entities (e.g., Fortune 500) or specific exhibitors represented on the exhibit floor.
5.9 EXPLANATORY NOTES
Shall include any notes approved by the auditor to provide further clarification to the audit or history of audits, (i.e., events canceled due to force majeure) and the following:
5.9.1 REGISTRATION FORM
The registration form(s) used to gather attendee demographic information shall be included.
5.9.2 STATEMENT OF VERIFICATION METHODOLOGY
Description of the methods used to verify the number of unique individuals who actually attended the show shall be included.
5.10 AUDITOR'S OPINION
A statement of opinion by auditor as to accuracy of the data shall be included.
6.0 VERIFIED EXHIBIT SPACE (OPTIONAL)
If the event organizer opts to have exhibit space and number of exhibitors audited, the event organizer shall provide all exhibit space contracts for examination and testing at the event, final floor plan with dimensions of exhibits that is to exact scale, and the total number of exhibitors and net square feet and net paid square feet of exhibit space used.
The audit organization shall:
a. Sample exhibit space contracts and validate against actual space used on exhibit floor by those exhibitors.
b. Calculate total space from floor plan and test against actual space on exhibit floor.
The audit would also include verification of payment for the space, if being claimed.
7.0 DEFINITIONS
7.1 ADVANCE REGISTRATION SYSTEM
The process by which individuals register with the event organizers to be permitted to attend an event, before the event opens, through phone, fax, mail, or online. These individuals need to be verified as having actually attended the event before they are called attendees.
7.2 AUDIT
A published, independent third-party certified census of verified attendees conducted in accordance with industry-standard guidelines established by the Event Industry Audit Commission.
7.3 CENSUS-BASED
A complete enumeration of a population (e.g., registrants), often including the collection of related demographic information through questions asked of every registrant. A census is differentiated from survey data that is based on collecting data from a sample of the population and extrapolating the information for that population.
7.4 CERTIFIED AUDIT
An audit performed by an organization sanctioned by The Event Industry Audit Commission and conducted in accordance with these guidelines.
7.5 CONFERENCE ATTENDEES
Those who registered for an event and are verified as being on-site at the show, with controlled access to the educational program as well as the exhibits and other public areas of the show. This may include registered exhibitors and their support staff who have controlled access to the educational program. Those who are only Speakers, Media, Analysts, Registered Exhibitors and Support Staff who are not registrants for the conference section of the event are not to be included.
7.6 CROSS TABULATIONS
Data tables, optionally included in an audit report, that show the results of one question in rows against the results of another question reported in columns.
7.7 DUPLICATE RECORD
The same individual appearing on the registration database more than once, whether in the same registration category or in multiple registration categories.
7.8 EXHIBIT ONLY ATTENDEES
Those who registered for an event and are verified as being on-site at the show with access only to the exhibit and public areas of the show.
Possible optional sub-categorization by qualification type, for example, if some exhibit only attendees are required to pay.
7.9 EXHIBIT ONLY AND CONFERENCE ATTENDEES
Subtotal of Attendees, including only the categories of ?Exhibit Only Attendees? and ?Conference Attendees?, which is included in the required table of attendee categories and used as the base for presentation of optional demographic data.
Those who are only Speakers, Media, Analysts, Registered Exhibitors and Support Staff who are not registrants for the conference section of the event are not to be included.
7.10 EXHIBITOR
A company that has purchased or otherwise negotiated to receive space provided by the event organizer to promote its product or service, and exhibited in the event.
7.11 MEASUREMENT OF EXHIBIT SPACE (OPTIONAL)
Reporting exhibit space is optional; however, when reported, it is measured in two formats: net and net paid. Net is the aggregate footprint of all square footage in the event, including paid for, trade/barter and complimentary space (including meeting rooms). Net paid represents only space that is paid for.
7.12 MEDIA & ANALYSTS
Those who registered for an event and are verified as being on-site at the show, who are qualified as working for a media organization or for a company that specializes in analyzing the industry that the show represents. These categories may be broken out separately at the option of the event organizer.
7.13 NON-EXHIBITING SPONSORS
Those organizations who have paid or bartered to receive promotion at an event but do not have exhibit space.
7.14 ON-SITE REGISTRATION SYSTEM
The process by which individuals register with the event organizers to be permitted to attend an event. This does not include advance or pre-registration.
7.15 QUALIFIED ATTENDEES
Optional wording for "Exhibit Only" and "Conference Attendees," providing that a clear definition of qualification is provided in the "Statement of Event Objectives and Markets Served" (see Section 5.2) and verified by the auditor.
7.16 REGISTERED EXHIBITORS & THEIR SUPPORT STAFF, or,
REGISTERED SPONSORS & THEIR SUPPORT STAFF, or,
REGISTERED EXHIBITORS, NON-EXHIBITING SPONSORS & THEIR SUPPORT STAFF
(Alternate versions, depending on types of exhibitors/sponsors applicable to specific event.) Employees of exhibiting or sponsoring companies and their support staff who are registered for exhibitor badges in order to staff the exhibit. These registrants may or may not be verified by the event organizer as to whether or not they actually attended the event. The audit report shall be specific on whether or not these registrants are verified participants, and whether or not this number is audited. (See sections 7.5, 7.8 and 7.9)
7.17 REGISTRATION CATEGORIES
Segmentation of all registrants for the event, based on their role at the event. Includes: Exhibit Only Attendees, Conference Attendees, Speakers, Media & Analysts, Exhibitors, and Non-Exhibiting Sponsors & Their Support Staff.
7.18 REGISTRATION DATA
The only information that may be subject to audit is that collected in the registration process, asked of every attendee. Demographic information, if shown on an audit report, will be that demographic information collected by questions asked in the registration process.
7.19 REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE
A sample of attendees, selected for testing, that is statistically representative of each registration category of attendee to be audited.
7.20 SUPPORT STAFF
People who attend an event to provide services to exhibitors or non-exhibiting sponsors, whether employees of the exhibitor or sponsor or hired specifically to provide services at the event. These attendees are included in the Registered Exhibitors, Non-Exhibiting Sponsors & Their Support Staff registration category.
7.21 QUALIFYING CHARACTERISTICS
Mandatory information collected from the registration form.
7.22 SPEAKERS
Those who registered for an event and are verified as being on-site at the show as a speaker or presenter in the controlled access educational program, a keynote or other information session.
7.23 SPONSOR
A company or association that is promoted as a sponsor of the event.
7.24 STAFF
Employees of the event organizer, attending for the purpose of supporting the event, should not be included in any category of the audit report.
7.25 TOTAL
Includes all audience groups that were at the event: Exhibit Only Attendees, Conference Attendees, Registered Exhibitors and Support Staff, Media & Analysts, and Speakers. It does not include employees of the event organizer's company or contractor companies who provide services to the show.
7.26 VALIDATION
Attestation by the auditor that a claim is true.
7.27 VENDOR
Individuals hired by the event organizer to support operations of the event, badged as such, shall not be included in any category of the audit report
7.28 VERIFICATION
Confirmation that an issued badge was claimed or used at the event.
7.29 VERIFIED ATTENDEES
Event registrants whose attendance at the event was confirmed in accordance with industry standards established by the Event Industry Audit Commission.
The event audit report shall disclose the methodology used to verify attendance, including badge-swipe data recorded at booths for otherwise undetected attendees.
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