ANNUAL DINNER TABLE POLICY

Policy:  96th DCAT Annual Dinner Lottery, Table Selection and Payment

Adopted: November 29, 2022, Board of Directors

POLICY STATEMENT:

An Eligible Table Holder is any DCAT Member Company that purchased a full table(s) at the DCAT Annual Dinner in March of 2023 and has renewed its membership in the DCAT organization for 2024 by October 31, 2023. The number of table(s) types your company purchased for the Annual Dinner in 2023 will be the number of table types your company is entitled to at the 96th DCAT Annual Dinner in March of 2024.

Please note that the DCAT organizational policy requires a price adjustment to dinner tables in the odd-numbered years to meet food and beverage cost increases. Tables payments are due no later than 5:00 pm ET, January 18, 2024. Table(s) not paid by that time will be placed in a pool to go to Member Companies on the waiting list for a table.

Dinner tables at the 96th DCAT Annual Dinner are priced as follows:

• Zone 1, Table of 10                                      $7,250.00 (Ballroom Floor)

• Zone 2, Table of 6                                        $4,500.00 (Balcony)

• Zone 3, Table of 10                                      $4,250.00 (Back portion of Ballroom Floor)

The procedure for securing Annual Dinner Table(s) will be in the following phases:

PHASE 1:  Confirmations, Relinquishments, Questions, and Answers – September 27, 2023, to October 31, 2023

  • During this time, we urge you to review the DCAT Annual Dinner Table, Sponsorship, and Wait List Policy and Procedure attached to this email. You can also access it online once at dcatweek.org.
  • If your company would like to relinquish its table(s), you must let us know by October 31, 2023. Doing so will give another member company an opportunity to attend the event.
  • If you would like to exchange your table for one in a zone with a lower or higher price point, you need to advise us before October 31, 2023. Requests for changes will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. However, DCAT cannot guarantee that tables in all zones will be available.
  • If you have any questions, please contact DCAT Week Table Coordinator Mikaela Venice at 856-388-2971 or Mvenice@dcat.org.

PHASE 2:  Lottery Determining the Order for Selection of Tables – November 16, 2023

  • Before November 16, all Eligible Table Holders will be notified to confirm the zone(s) where their table(s) are located. This notice will also include a reminder for the day and time and instructions for joining the Lottery via ZOOM.
  • On November 16, 2023, a ZOOM session will be held for each zone to determine the order of the selection of tables. You do not have to be present to be assigned your lottery number for the order of table selection. The list of the companies, in the order in which they will select, will be posted immediately following the ZOOM session at dcatweek.org.
  • The lottery times for each zone are as follows:
    • Zone 1 – 9:30 am ET
    • Zone 2 – 11:00 am ET
    • Zone 3 – 11:30 am ET

PHASE 3:  Table Selection Process – December 5 & 6, 2023:

  • Before the Table Selection Process, all Eligible Table Holders will be notified to re-confirm the order they select a table(s). This notice will include a reminder for the day and time and instructions for joining the Table Zoom Webinar session.
  • Eligible Table Holders will select their table(s) in groups of 15-20, beginning with the lowest lottery number. On the date and time specified, a representative for your company will join the Zoom Webinar session to select your table(s). The table(s) you choose will be marked with your company name and therefore no longer available to others. This procedure will continue with groups of 15-20 until all tables are selected in each zone.
  • If a member company representative cannot attend the web session, they may elect to have a DCAT representative choose for them by pre-arranged written consent.
  • If the representative for the Eligible Table Holder does not participate at the time specified, they will be placed at an available table(s) by a DCAT representative.
  • You will state your selection when it is your company’s turn to pick. A DCAT representative will verbally confirm your choice, and the table(s) will be marked and unavailable to others.
  • A call-in phone number will be available for representatives who do not have online access to the webinar or experience technical difficulties.
  • Schedule for Table Selection

PHASE 4:  Invoices, Payments, and Cancellations:

After the Table Selection Process, all Table Holders will receive an invoice for reserving and paying for your annual dinner table(s). The invoice will display the Zone # where your table(s) are located and the total amount due.

Schedule:

January 18, 2024, 5:00 pm ET:  Payment for an Annual Dinner Table(s) are due.  Table(s) not paid by that time will be placed in a pool to go to Member Companies on the waiting list for a table.

January 19, 2024, through February 29, 2024, 5:00 pm ET:  Cancellation of an Annual Dinner Table(s) may be made during this time period to receive a refund minus a $150.00 administrative fee per table. Cancellations must be in writing and sent to Dina Fahmy, Finance & Office Manager, at accounting@dcat.org. 

February 29, 2024: No Refunds for table(s) after, February 29, 2024, 5:00 pm ET.

Annual Dinner Sponsors:

The Sponsor Zone tables will again be located in the first two rows of Zone 1 and are $7,250 which is not considered part of the sponsorship fee. Sponsorships may be limited at times and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. An Annual Dinner Sponsor who is an Eligible Table Holder may elect to have one table in the Sponsor Zone. Other tables they hold will be subject to the lottery and table selection procedure.

Waiting List:

After December 11, 2023, the staff will take requests for additional tables from Eligible Table Holders and other members who currently do not have a table.