Congress Planning Guidelines

APPENDIX ARTICLE 18

BIANNUAL CONGRESS OF EABIP (ECBIP)

Congress Planning Guidelines

PART A — HOST BIDDING REQUIREMENTS

1. Host Applicant Eligibility Criteria

1. Only National Societies that are full and active members of EABIP are eligible to submit a bid proposal for hosting the ECBIP.
2. All bidders must agree to comply with the present Congress Planning Guidelines.
3. All official congress presentations and communications must be available in English.

2. Mandatory Bid Submission Documents

The bidding organization must submit a complete Bid Dossier, including the following:

A. General Proposal

- Proposed host country and city
- Proposed Congress theme/topic and rationale
- Proposed Congress dates
- Expected national and international attendance
- Previous experience in organizing national/international scientific congresses

B. Organizational Structure

- Proposed Congress Chair
- Proposed Local Organizing Committee (LOC)
- Proposed Scientific Committee
- Description of local institutional support

C. Scientific Proposal

- Preliminary scientific programme structure
- Proposed workshops/sessions
- Educational objectives and target audience

D. Venue & Destination Information

The proposal must include detailed information regarding:

Accessibility

- International airport connectivity
- Direct flights to major European hubs
- Public transportation availability
- Transfer options

Venue Requirements

The proposed venue must:

- Be available on the first option for the proposed dates, and Includes:
  - 1 plenary hall for 500–800 delegates
  - 2–3 parallel rooms with a minimum of 100 seats each
  - Registration area
  - Exhibition and catering area
  - Poster/e-poster area
  - Speaker’s ready room
- Provide detailed technical specifications
- Be compliant with Pharma & MedTech regulations

Accommodation

- Hotel capacity and categories
- Indicative room rates
- Distance from the Congress venue

E. Financial Proposal

The bid must include:

- Preliminary Congress budget

with estimated expenses and income as:

- Venue rental costs
- AV and technical support costs
- Exhibition and registration infrastructure costs
- Catering and hospitality cost

- Break-even analysis

F. SWOT Analysis (Mandatory)

A completed SWOT Analysis (Annex 2) must be submitted, including:

- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Opportunities
- Threats
- Proposed mitigation actions
- Requested support from EABIP

G. Optional Supporting Documents

Bidders may additionally submit:

- Letters of support from local authorities
- Convention Bureau support letters
- Industry endorsements
- Tourism or accessibility documentation
- Environmental impact mitigation plan

3. Submission Process

1. The complete Bid Dossier must be submitted electronically to the EABIP Office.
2. Submission contact: info@eabip.org
3. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

PART B — HOST SELECTION & EVALUATION PROCESS

1. Launch of the Bidding Process

The EABIP Executive Committee launches the official call for bids approximately 4.5 years prior to the congress year.

The official invitation is circulated to the Board of National Delegates.

2. Evaluation Procedure

Upon receipt of all bids, the EABIP Executive Committee evaluates all proposals based on predefined criteria.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation includes:

- Destination accessibility
- Venue suitability
- Financial feasibility
- Scientific potential
- Local organizational capacity
- Compliance with EABIP standards
- Industry attractiveness and sponsorship potential
- Risk assessment, sustainability, and inclusivity

3. Shortlisting Process

Following the initial review, received applications will be shortlisted by the executive committee to a maximum of three candidate cities to proceed into the election. For this, applicants may be invited to:

- Present their proposal to the Executive Committee
- Participate in interviews
- Host inspection/site visits

Site visits may include:

- Venue inspection
- Hotel assessment
- Accessibility review
- Supplier meetings
- Financial negotiations

The costs of inspection visits may be fully or partially supported by the Local Convention Bureau.

The Executive Committee reserves the right to:

- Request additional documentation
- Reject incomplete proposals
- Reopen the bidding process if no proposal fulfills the required criteria

4. Decision-Making Process

The final host selection is made by a personal voting by the Board of National Delegates & the EABIP Executive Committee during a EABIP BOND meeting organized at that years ECBIP meeting. Applicants are required to present their bids during that meeting in person and address the mandatory applicant submission items listed above. After all applicants have presented their bids, the BOND members will start the voting process in a closed meeting (without applicants present).

All active BOND members have voting rights, and can cast their votes in person or online.

In case of equal draw in voting, one round of revoting will be initiated immediately for the remaining 2 applicants. When after revoting, no majority is reached the EC will choose by majority of votes.

When BOND members are also applicants, are excluded from voting.

The results of the voting process will be shared with all applicants immediately after the voting process has ended. And will be made public at the annual EABIP General Assembly (AGM) planned during the same ECBIP meeting, planned after the election process.

5. Indicative Timeline

Stage	Timeline
Launch of bidding process	November (4.5 years before approximate date ECBIP congress) i.e. ~ 6 months prior to ECBIP meeting, where election process is planned
Expression of Interest	December 10
Submission deadline	February 15
Evaluation & shortlist	March 26
Interviews / inspection visits	April (last 2 weeks)
Election process	BOND meeting @ECBIP meeting 4 yrs prior to applicant-organized ECBIP meeting
Final decision announcement	During AGM @ECBIP meeting (4 yrs prior to applicant organized ECBIP meeting)

BIDDING DOCUMENT

Invitation to Host ΕCBIP (Next Open year)

Dear National Delegate,

The EABIP Executive Committee is pleased to officially launch the bidding process for the next open year of the European Congress of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (ECBIP).

We invite all active EABIP National Delegates to submit proposals to host the Congress in their country. Please note that only bids from active EABIP members will be considered.

The ECBIP has a strong tradition of excellence, with procedures shaped by the experience of previous congresses. The guidelines established jointly by the EABIP Congress Committee, and the Executive Committee (Annex 1) must be strictly followed to ensure the scientific and financial success of future meetings.

Host City Requirements

To safeguard the financial viability of the ECBIP, the Executive Committee will only consider bids from cities that meet the criteria of an appropriate host destination. Your proposal should clearly state:

- The proposed host city.
- A compelling rationale for its selection, highlighting strategic advantages for ECBIP.
- Venue, accessibility, and infrastructure details.
- Local organisational support and potential partnerships.

Bid Content

Your bid must include all required information as outlined above and be accompanied by:

- A completed SWOT analysis (Annex 2), detailing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the proposed city, with strategies to maximise advantages and address challenges.
- Preliminary budget considerations and logistical overview (optional but encouraged).

Submission Details

If you wish to host the ECBIP in your country, please send your formal bid document to the EABIP Office (info@eabip.org) by [submission deadline]. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Hosting the ECBIP offers an exceptional platform to advance research, education, clinical practice, and advocacy in interventional pulmonology within your country. We strongly encourage all National Delegates to consider this unique opportunity to showcase your city and contribute to the growth of our specialty in Europe and beyond.

We look forward to receiving your proposals.

With kind regards

EABIP Executive Committee

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Article 1 General Information

Article 2 Site Selection & Bid Submission Procedure

Article 3 Organisation

Official Organizer

Congress Chair

Local Organizing Committee (LOC)

Core PCO

Financial Management

Registration Fees

Sponsorship/Exhibition

Scientific Program

Abstract Submission & Review Process

Meeting Schedule

Facilities and Conference Amenities

Visa support / Invitation letters

Social Events

Faculty Remuneration

Honoraria and Awards

AΝΝΕΧ 1 Budget requirements

AΝΝΕΧ 2 Swot Analysis

Article 1 – General Information

EABIP (European Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology) is organizing the bi-annual ECBIP (European Congress on Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology), which is held in Europe, over a 3-day period in the month of May. It usually starts on Thursday and ends on Saturday. Selection of the host country and site is decided by the EABIP Executive Committee, 3,5 years in advance.

ECBIP congresses include:

- A scientific program
- A commercial exhibition to ensure proper funding
- A networking program

The Conference Planning Guidelines are designed as a guide to aid planning, organizing, and implementing the bi-annual ECBIP.

Article 2- Site Selection & Bid Submission Procedure

National Societies that are full and active members of EABIP are eligible to apply for hosting the bi-annual congress.

All bidders should agree to comply with all conditions of these planning guidelines. All presentations at the conference should be available in English.

The bid document is a binding template to provide relevant information and should be structured and include the following:

- Proposed topic/theme of the Congress, including a short outline of why this topic/theme is selected.
- Information pertaining to previous national & international conferences that the bidding organization has arranged must be provided.
- Proposed Conference Chair/s and Organizing Committee.
- Proposed Scientific Chair.
- Expected national attendance.
- Proposed Dates.
- Detailed description of the proposed scientific program.
- Proposed destination accessibility. The destination should have an international airport with a sufficient number of daily direct flights to major European cities/airport hubs.
- Proposed venue – must be available in the first option for the proposed dates and fulfil the following criteria:

- - 1 Main Auditorium with a minimum capacity of 500-800 seats.
  - 2-3 parallel meeting rooms with a minimum capacity of 100 seats (including the needed setup)
  - Space for the Registration area.
  - Space for the exhibition area & catering area (estimated 15-30 booths of 6 sqm each & enough space for coffee & lunch breaks for all the delegates).
  - Poster panels ( XXX panels double-sided) or e-poster area ( XXX monitors).
  - Detailed description of facilities within the venue.
  - Hotel capacity, type, standard, indicative prices, and proximity to the conference venue.
  - The venue and hotel(s) must be fully compliant with national and international Pharma and MedTech regulations.
  - Proposed destinations and venues should have a clear business focus and should not be perceived as a leisure or luxury setting.
  - Located in the city centre and easily accessible to the venue and city landmarks by public transportation.

- Air transportation availability/connectivity information and public transfers
- Tours & excursions proposals
- Proposed budget to include income, projected surplus, and expenses with breakeven (Financial proposal of the venue room/space rental, high-quality AV, technical support), including build-up of the registration area and exhibition.

Members bidding to host ECBIP may choose to include letters of support from local authorities, industry, etc.

The EABIP Executive Committee sends out a call during November, 4,5 years prior to the proposed open year for bidding. Upon receipt of bid documents, the EABIP Office / Core PCO and the Executive Committee will evaluate each city against a set of pre-determined criteria. This stage of the process may involve site visits. Site visits will allow us to assess the infrastructure of the city and, where relevant, carry out negotiations with the venue and other relevant suppliers. The costs of the site visits shall be fully or partially covered by the Local Convention Bureau.

Timeline and procedure are as follows:

Stage	Timeline
Launch of bidding process	November (4.5 years before approximate date ECBIP congress) i.e. ~ 6 months prior to ECBIP meeting, where election process is planned
Expression of Interest	December 10
Submission deadline	February 15
Evaluation & shortlist	March 26
Interviews / inspection visits	April (last 2 weeks)
Election process	BOND meeting @ECBIP meeting 4 yrs prior to applicant-organized ECBIP meeting
Final decision announcement	During AGM @ECBIP meeting (4 yrs prior to applicant organized ECBIP meeting)

Article 3 Organization

Official Organizer

EABIP is the official organizer. The EABIP’s Executive Committee (ExCom) will set up a Congress Committee, which can include same or different members.

Congress Chair

The Congress Chair is a member of the host society and works closely with the members of the Local Organizing Committee, the EABIP Congress Committee, and the core PCO appointed by EABIP. The Congress Chair must provide comprehensive conference feedback at all EABIP board meetings beginning 15 months before the date of the congress.

Local Organizing Committee (LOC)

The Congress Chair will set up a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) as deemed appropriate, taking into consideration the diversity and inclusivity standards.

Core PCO

The Core PCO nominated by EABIP manages the congress organization on a day-to-day basis in close collaboration with the Congress Chair and the EABIP Congress Committee. The Core PCO acts as secretariat to the Scientific Committee, prepares sponsorship opportunities, and supports sponsorship outreach and relations. In addition, the Core PCO is responsible for coordinating and managing suppliers (including venue, catering, and technical services) and oversees the full registration process, including platform management, participant communication, and on-site registration operations.

Financial Management

The Core PCO undertakes the financial management and risk of the congress (which allows them to maintain oversight of congress-related expenditures) under the condition that EABIP will receive the 50% of the surplus, the LOC the 10%, and they keep the remaining 40%.

The financial management is to be monitored by the Congress Chair and the EABIP Executive Committee. To achieve this, the Core-PCO establishes and adjusts the event budget, incorporating input from the Congress Chair and the LOC. This budget will then be officially presented to EABIP’s Congress and Executive Committee 14 months before the Congress.

The Core-PCO is financially responsible for all suppliers’ contracts and oversees the Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility policy. They also ensure data protection and GDPR compliance and manage insurance against Force Majeure incidents. Further, together with the Conference Chair and the LOC, perform the Marketing, Communication, and Promotion tasks.

Within four months of the congress’s conclusion, the Core-PCO will draft the final budget and, alongside the Congress Chair and the LOC, prepare the ECBIP’s outcome report. This report will be accessible to future bidders and will detail programme information.

Registration fees

The registration fees are the main funding source of the Congress. The basic registration categories are:

EABIP members (early)

EABIP members (late)

EABIP members (on site)

Non members (early)

Non members (late)

Non members (on site)

Residents (early)

Residents (late)

Residents (on site)

Nurses (early)

Nurses (late)

Nurses (on site)

Exhibitor badges

Complimentary registrations

According to a calendar set by the LOC and the EABIP ExCom, the different categories may benefit from reduced fees for advanced registration. Invited speakers and members of the LOC and EABIP ExCom may also be exempted from registration fees.

Sponsorship / Exhibition

Sponsorship is another funding opportunity for the Congress. Sponsorship packages should be arranged well in advance for the industry.

An exhibition should be integrated into the venue. The rental cost per space / booth is arranged according to the budget requirements and the possibilities offered by the venue.

Scientific Program

The setup of the scientific program is the responsibility of the Scientific Committee, which is to be appointed by the Conference Chair and the LOC. It should be composed of a panel of experienced expert research peer-reviewers and graded on standardised criteria, to be approved by the EABIP’s Congress Committee.

The educational level of presentations shall be at the level of the specialists in bronchoscopy.

Allocation of presentations and other assignments should be focused primarily on the setup of a high-quality scientific programme and reflect the diversity of EABIP. This should be achieved by the selection of qualified speakers.

Poster presentations should be prominently displayed and could be rotated daily. There should be enough space and time to allow poster viewing.

The abstracts will be published in the affiliated medical journal.

The Core PCO will facilitate the reviewing process and secure authors’ consent.

Meeting Schedule

DAY 1 |

	HALL 1	HALL 2	HALL 3
08:30-09:30		WORKSHOP 01	WORKSHOP 02
09:30-10:30		WORKSHOP 03	WORKSHOP 04
10:30-11:15	Coffee Break – Exhibition viewing
11:15-12:30	SESSION 01	SESSION 02	SESSION 03
12:30-13:45	SESSION 04	SESSION 05	SESSION 06
13:45-15:00	SESSION 07	SESSION 08	SESSION 09
15:00-16:00	Lunch Break – Exhibition viewing
15:00-16:00	EABIP & WABIP Business Meetings
16:00-17:15	SESSION 10	SESSION 11	SESSION 12
17:15-18:30	SESSION 13	SESSION 14	SESSION 15
18:30-20:00	OPENING CEREMONY Welcome Messages \| Honorary Lecture Welcome Reception

DAY 2 |

	HALL 1	HALL 2	HALL 3	POSTER AREA A	POSTER AREA B
08:30-09:30		WORKSHOP 05	WORKSHOP 06	e-POSTER SESSION 01	e-POSTER SESSION 02
09:30-10:30		WORKSHOP 07	WORKSHOP 08	e-POSTER SESSION 03	e-POSTER SESSION 04
10:30-11:15	Coffee Break – Exhibition viewing
11:15-12:30	SESSION 16	SESSION 17	SESSION 18
12:30-13:45	SESSION 19	SESSION 20	SESSION 21
13:45-15:00	REAL-LIFE CASES SESSION 1
15:00-16:00	Lunch Break – Exhibition viewing
15:00-16:00	EABIP Business Meetings
16:00-17:15	SESSION 22	SESSION 23	SESSION 24
17:15-18:30	SESSION 25	SESSION 26	SESSION 27	e-POSTER SESSION 05
18:30-19:30	INDUSTRY SPONSORED SESSION 1	INDUSTRY SPONSORED SESSION 2	INDUSTRY SPONSORED SESSION 3
20:00-22:00	Networking activity

DAY 3 |

	HALL 1	HALL 2	HALL 3	POSTER AREA A
08:30-09:30	NURSES COURSE: Part I	WORKSHOP 09	WORSKHOP 10	e-POSTER SESSION 06
09:30-10:30	NURSES COURSE: Part II	WORKSHOP 11	WORKSHOP 12	e-POSTER SESSION 07
10:30-11:15	Coffee Break – Exhibition viewing
11:15-12:30	SESSION 28	SESSION 29	SESSION 30	e-POSTER SESSION 08
12:30-13:45	SESSION 31	SESSION 32	SESSION 33	e-POSTER SESSION 09
13:45-15:15	REAL-LIFE CASES SESSION 2
15:15-17:00	CONTEST PRESENTATION & CLOSING CEREMONY

Facilities and conference amenities

Provision of sufficient rooms with sufficient space.
The opening ceremony and plenary sessions are usually the most attended.
Free conference WIFI to be provided and cover all delegates in all venues and meeting rooms.
Refreshments/coffee breaks with morning and afternoon breaks.
Lunch should be provided to the delegates if the budget permits.
Exhibit hall/Trade display for 15-30 booths.
Area for poster presentations.
AV assistance available in each presentation room and session.
The media liaison person should be identified.
Speaker’s ready room must be provided.
EABIP AGM & bond meeting to be organised.
A booth must be allocated free of charge in the main exhibition area for the host of the next ECBIP conference.
A booth must be allocated free of charge for the EABIP permanent office.

Social events

Opening Reception on the evening of the first day, for all delegates.

A speaker’s dinner is to be arranged on the night of the second day by invitation only.

A conference dinner should be hosted on the third day at an additional fee. The main aim of the dinner is to promote fellowship and interaction.

Transportation to the venue must be arranged for all invitees if not within walking distance.

Faculty Remuneration

Registration fees, including evening social functions, may be waived for invited speakers.

Travel expenses may be paid for the plenary speakers in economy class.

Honoraria and Awards

If honoraria are arranged for invited speakers, they should be paid only upon submission of a valid fiscal invoice.

Awards may also be granted for specific presentation categories, subject to budget availability. The categories, criteria, and award amounts should be determined by the Congress Chair and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) prior to the start of the Congress.

ANNEX 1 Budget:

Budget (in Euro)

(Paid) Participants	Break-even scenario	Realistic scenario
Number of participants
Number of expected full participants
Number of expected student/other discounted type of registrations
Number of complimentary registrations
Income
Registration Fee
Early full registration fee (per person: )
Early student/retired registration fee (per person: )
Late full registration fee (per person: )
Late student/retired registration fee (per person: )
Hands-on sessions
Exhibitors
Sponsors
Expenditures
Room Rental (Convention Hall, Poster, Oral, Exhibition area, Internet lounge, …)
Final Program, Abstract books, Proceedings (preferred e-version)
General graphics and design
Registration material (e.g. badges, lanyards, bags, etc)
Audiovisual and technical support
Internet and WIFI
Website/Promotion plan/Photographer
Coffee breaks/light lunches/other catering
Keynote Speakers, other Invitees
Banquet/social events
Signage (design & production)
Constructions (registration desk etc)
Exhibition Booths or related expenses
Other Facilities
Onsite staff, security (if applicable)
VAT
TOTAL BUDGET