MEMORANDUM
[ The following "memo template" can be used to request attendance at the Spring 2014 Meeting. We hope it will help you justify your trip both technically and commercially. It should be revised to suit your individual needs and your membership status in the Committee; i.e. Regular Attendee and/or Committee Member, etc.]
Date
To:Jane Doe,Manager
From: John E. Smith, Project Manager
RE: Request to Attend Technical Meeting (MonthXX - XX)
I request approval to attend the Spring 20XX Meeting of the IEEE Transformers Committee. This meeting will be held in the City of City,StateMonth XX - XX. I am a[member of the Transformers Committee and a]regular participant of this event, held twice each year.
Background
The Transformers Committee is a key technical component ofIEEE. The Committee is comprised of technical and managerial representatives from manufacturers, consultants, and end-users of electrical equipment. The continuing scope of the Committee is to develop and maintain standards & guidelines for the design, testing, repair, installation, operation, and maintenance of transformers, reactors, and associated components.
Although IEEE standards arepredominantlyapplied in North America,they are rapidly gaining worldwide recognition as superiorgoverning documents due to their unique influence by consultants and end-users from a variety of international companies. Presently nearly 20% of our meeting attendees reside outside of the United States. Due to the global scope ofstandardsdevelopment work,and the global nature of the transformer market,the Committee recognizes the value in holding a meeting outside of North America approximately every five years. Previous offshore Committee meetings were held in City (YEAR) and in City (YEAR), and both meetings provided the opportunity for technical tours and continuation of progress in standards development.
Commercial Justification[or Value of Participation to Our Company]
IEEE standards are directly applicable to our business, and impact both the cost and quality equipment. Our participation in standards development provides us an opportunity to validate and contribute to the content of these standards and to understand and assess potential impacts on our business.
In addition to the benefitI gain from direct interaction with industry leaders,[your Company Name] benefits through my participation in influencing standards development to incorporate our needs. Maintaining contacts within the industry also provides awareness of current advances in all aspects of transformer engineering and application, and provides opportunity for review of equipment and system issues/concerns.
The IEEE/ANSI C57 Transformer Standards are developed and maintained at these meetings, with focused project effort in over 50 working group sessions. At [your Company Name], we reference these documents often in our specifications to assure that our transformer purchases are technically adequate, reliable, and cost effective. As a result,it is in our best interest to consistently support this organization and assist in its scope of work.
In summary,staying technically intelligent byactively participating in developing industry standards, is essential to our ability to make quality and timely equipment purchases.
Other Tangible Reasons to Attend This Meeting:
- I am a "voting" member of the Transformers Committee. Regular attendance at Committee meetings is necessary for me to maintain my membership. Additionally,I judge my voice at these meetings is critical to maintain our voice in the standards documents.
- I am the Chairman of the Working Group on XXXXXXXXXXXXX. This working group regularly meets at all meetings and will meet inCity. It is necessary that I attend this meeting to facilitate the meeting. I also participate actively in the following WG activities:
- xxx
- yyy
- This meeting is an excellent opportunity for networking with the experts in the field of transformers. I have developed many professional relationships over the years while attending these meetings which have proven to be valuable technical resources. Also, there is no better way to stay appraised of changes in industry standards affecting transformer purchases.
- As always, these meetings provide an opportunity for continued education. Along with 3-1/2 days of technical meetings, the following two technical presentations will be presented at the meeting. PDH certificates will be provided.
-- "XXXXXXXX"
-- "XXXXXXXX"
- This meeting in will be hosted by Efacec, a respected Portuguese manufacturer of large-core and shell-form transformers. In the last several years,Efacec has delivered a significant number of transformers and mobile substations to US utilities. This meeting will include a tour of Efacec’s factory in Savannah. This is an excellent opportunity to evaluate Efacec’s manufacturing capabilities.
Attached is a summary of my expected time and expenses.
Thank you for considering my attendance at this important meeting, as I look forward to continuing to supporting our industry in this critical area. Contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Expected Time and Expenses
Time (hrs) or Expense ($US) / CommentsTIME/LABOR
travel time, leave home / XX hrs / will travel on Sunday
during meeting / 32 hrs / 4 days of meetings (Mon-Thur)
Friday social tour / none / personal vacation time
travel time, return home / XX hrs
EXPENSES
meeting registration fee / $250 / early registration fee, IEEE member
airfare / $550
hotel, 5 nights billed to company / $159/night
taxes on hotel room / $21/night
meals
-- breakfasts / included in meeting
registration fee
-- lunches / $75
-- dinners / $100
-- Welcome Reception / included in registr. fee
-- Awards Luncheon / $25
-- Closing Dinner Social / $65
ground transportation, taxis, etc. / $50
airport parking / $50
TOTAL TIME/LABOR / XX hours
TOTAL EXPENSES / $XXXX