As you see, invited and sponsored clusters are similar in that the speakers are asked to participate and the topics have already been established.

• You can access the CFP at INFORMS Online at www.informs.org/Conf approximately 9 months prior to meeting.
• You can also print out a PDF version of the submission form and fax it to 401-274-3189 or mail it to INFORMS, 1 Richmond Square, Suite 215, Providence RI 02906.
• There is no abstract fee!
• Your abstract should be no longer than 50-words (longer abstracts will be shortened). Please don’t use formulas, sub- or super-scripts or Greek symbols.
• Contact with all authors is primarily via email. The email addresses of lead (first) authors are always listed so that interested people can contact them to obtain complete copies of papers. Please be sure to include an email for every author.
• You may act as the lead (first) author on only one contributed abstract but you may be affiliated as co-author on other papers. We anticipate that the lead author will attend the meeting to make the presentation and we welcome as many co-authors to participate as possible.
• Please be sure to include a brief title for your abstract.
• From the topic area list, you may choose 3 areas that your presentation is most associated with in the order of preference. Sessions will be made up of 3, 4 or 5 abstracts on the same subject.
• As the lead author, you can volunteer to chair your contributed session; if no one has volunteered, the Organizing Committee will assign a session chair.
• The Organizing Committee will assign a title to each contributed session.
• The 90-minute session will be divided evenly to allow each speaker the same amount of time. The presentations in your session should be made in the order listed in the program and the session chair is typically the last to present.
• Abstracts are not reviewed and virtually all abstracts are accepted.
• We are not able to send confirmations to acknowledge that we received your online submission. Our contact with authors will be after the program has been scheduled and posted online. At that time, an email goes out to every author on the program to direct them to the Web for the date and time of their presentation(s) as well as registration, hotel and AV request forms and other meeting information.
• There is a Comments field at the bottom of the submission form. If you need an immediate acceptance letter for budgetary reasons or to apply for a visa, you can use this space for your request. You may also indicate whether a particular day is better for scheduling your paper.

• Sessions are scheduled Sunday through Wednesday. Invited and sponsored clusters are given the same room for all their sessions. If there are more than enough sessions in the cluster to use the room Sunday through Wednesday, then a second room will be assigned for the remaining sessions.
• Cluster chairs can specify the order of the sessions over their designated session times.
• Unless the cluster chair or a session chair gives permission, contributed abstracts are not arbitrarily added to invited or sponsored sessions; however, to assure a good flow to sessions, contributed sessions can be scheduled before or after related clusters as time and space allow.
• Tutorials and panel sessions are often part of an invited cluster.
• Invited and sponsored clusters can be co-sponsored with an invited cluster and a sponsoring subdivision affiliated with the entire cluster or specific sessions only.
•  When cluster chairs first approach speakers about participating, they should let the speakers know that they are expected to attend the meeting to make their presentation(s). INFORMS meetings are designed for speaker and audience participation. We anticipate that the lead author will attend the meeting to make the presentation and we welcome as many co-authors to participate as possible.
•  Before the preliminary program is finalized and goes online, there is a short period of time for the cluster chairs to check their sessions. They will be given a password to access the program online and should check that their sessions are correct and complete. Because of time constraints, this password should not be shared with session chairs or authors - the cluster chair should take the responsibility to verify the accuracy of their own cluster.

• The session chair organizes a 3- or 4-paper session on a subtopic related to the broader main topic of the cluster.
• Invited and sponsored session chairs are given session chair ribbons to wear at meetings so they can be easily identified.
• Prior to the meeting, chairs should confirm that the speakers in their session plan to attend the meeting to make their presentations.
• If a speaker has to cancel, he/she should notify their session chair. The chair should then contact the Program Chair and the Meeting Program Editor (ginni.mcgee@informs.org).
• If a paper is withdrawn from a session before the meeting, the session chair may add a new speaker or extra time may be allowed for the remaining speakers.
• If a session chair is unable to attend the meeting, they should find a substitute to act as chair in their place. Once a new session chair is appointed, the original chair should send the new information to the Program Chair and the Meeting Program Editor so the program can be updated.
• Each session lasts 90 minutes. The session chair should begin and end the session on time and let speakers know if time is running short. Each speaker should have an equal amount of time to present.
• If a speaker within your session is a "no show," the original time schedule should be adhered to rather than slide every talk forward. This allows for effective session jumping. Presentations should be made in the order listed in the program.
• A Session Attendance Form will be in each room. The session chair should fill out this form and leave it in the room.

• The program is scheduled and available online approximately 4 months before the meeting. You will receive an email directing you to the Web so you can get date/time of your presentation(s).
• The online program is considered to be the finalized version of the preliminary program; this means that once the program is published online, we are not able to move either single presentations or full sessions to other time slots. Our speakers go to the online program for the date and time of their presentations and then make their travel and hotel arrangements based on this information. Speakers also decide which sessions they'd like to attend, so we are not able to accommodate scheduling changes.
• We can, however, add to existing sessions or add new sessions as time and space permit. You can also make changes to your abstract, title or list of authors. This online program is updated weekly with new submissions, corrections and withdrawals. It is maintained on the Web until several weeks after the meeting when it is then moved to the Conference archives at INFORMS Online.

• Each session room is equipped with an overhead projector and screen at no charge to speakers.

• All attendees, including cluster and session chairs and speakers, must register and pay the registration fee.

• Save money and time! Advance registration is quicker, easier and less expensive than onsite registration. You can go to www.informs.org and register online for the meeting several months before the deadline. Then at the meeting, you can go to the advance registration line to pick up your materials.

• Your registration fee will be refunded only if a written request is sent to meetings@informs.org or faxed to 401-274-3189 by the deadline specified on the registration form.

• Approximately 6 weeks before the meeting, the online program is downloaded to produce the final printed program that is given to registrants onsite; this allows time to print and ship the programs to the meeting site.
• Registrants also receive an addendum to the printed program that lists new submissions, changes and withdrawals received after the online program is downloaded. These late revisions are also added to the online version of the program.
• If you misplace your printed program at the meeting, we can only provide a free duplicate copy on the last day of the meeting. This is to ensure that each paid attendee receives one copy of the program.
• After the meeting, individual copies of the program can be purchased for $15US (INFORMS members) or $25US (nonmembers). Orders must be prepaid and sent to INFORMS, PO Box 64794, Baltimore MD 21264-4794.

• Pick up your final program, name badge and other registration materials at the INFORMS registration desk.

• All withdrawals must be sent to the Meeting Program Editor (ginni.mcgee@informs.org) in writing. They will be listed online, in the final program and in the addendum.

• The guest registration fee entitles guests to attend the continental breakfasts and receptions. Guests may not attend technical sessions or enter the exhibit hall.

• Plant tours (or site visits) are offered for an extra registration fee.
• Plant tours are open only to registered attendees.
• Tickets are available in advance and are not sold on-site.

• INFORMS Board/Executive Committee, subdivisions and various groups also hold breakfast, lunch or evening meetings as well as receptions. These events are listed chronologically in the program.
• The Welcome and General Receptions are open to all registrants and paid guests.
• Exhibit hall, book and literature display, email center (cyber café) and job placement center are open Sunday through Tuesday.
• INFORMS requests that all electronic devices, i.e., pagers, cell phones, laptop computers, etc., be turned off during technical sessions and business meetings. If it is necessary to use your cell phone, please leave the room so that you won't disturb other attendees.
• Smoking is not allowed during any of the technical sessions, breakfasts, luncheons or business meetings.