In-Cooperation Conference Guidelines

ACM/SIGs lend the name of the organization to conferences which are fully sponsored by other nonprofit incorporated organizations.  Such cooperation is to be primarily for publicity, and to encourage association members to participate by contributing papers and attending technical sessions. Cooperation specifically excludes financial participation, responsibility, or liability on the part of ACM. 

Cooperation will be undertaken only if all of the following are established or estimated to be true:

• The technical meeting meets association standards of technical excellence and has reasonable relevance to the activities of ACM/SIGs
• Benefits will accrue to the technical meeting because of the cooperation of ACM/SIGs
• Benefits will accrue to ACM/SIGs because of its cooperation
• Association members are encouraged to participate on the organizing committee
• The organizing committee agrees that within 3 months post-meeting, a short report summarizing the results is to be forwarded to the Conference Committee of ACM/SIGs
• The organizing committee agrees to state that this meeting is “in-cooperation with ACM/SIGs” in all references to the conference including, conference promotions, proceedings, press releases, etc
• ACM/SIG members are entitled to the same registration fees as those available to members of sponsoring organizations
• ACM/SIG members may purchase proceedings at the same rate as sponsoring organizations
• A table is provided in the registration area for marketing of ACM/SIG membership and publication literature if needed
• Proof of sponsoring organizations liability insurance must be provided to ACM 

Requesting In-Cooperation Status

To obtain in-coop status, a Techical Meeting Request Form (TMRF) must be completed.  This document consists of:

1. General information concerning the scope of the conference
2. Sponsorship information of nonprofit incorporated organization(s)
3. Hold Harmless clause
4. Conference committee information (the Conference Chair and Program Chair must be ACM members) 
5. Statement of Understanding including the ACM Resolution on Sponsorship of International Conferences relating to scientific freedom.

Organizers should check the website of the SIG they are interested in obtaining in-cooperation status with for their incooperation requirements.  This should be done prior to submitting the TMRF.  

Approval Process

SIG Services will review all submitted paperwork and secure approval for the conference dates from the sponsoring Volunteer subunits, taking into consideration overlapping dates.  ACM official approval may take up to two weeks after receipt of all application documents.

• A TMRF must be submitted electronically and subsequently approved by the appropriate SIG(s), followed by an official approval response from ACM to the organizers.
• A logo has been designed specifically for use with In Cooperation events and is shared with organizers when approval is granted.  It’s important to be aware that no In Cooperation event may publicize affiliation with ACM and/or an ACM SIG prior to obtaining official approval. This extends to CFPs, conference websites, all written materials, etc.   Please refrain from any use of the ACM or ACM/SIG name(s) until you have received an official approval letter from ACM.
• Should a cooperating event wish to have ACM act as publisher, the conference leaders must apply to ACM’s International Conference Proceedings Series (ICPS). *Please note that cooperating status does not automatically provide ACM publishing.

ACM In-Cooperation Logos

• All promotional and conference materials should display the ACM in-cooperation logo (appropriate SIG logo(s) may appear beneath the ACM in-cooperation logo.

• All promotional and conference materials should state that the meeting is “in-cooperation with ACM”.  Note: ACM may not appear in the name of the conference.