An Exhibitor Designated Contractor (EDC) is any company, other than one of the designated official contractors, that provides a service to the exhibitor and needs access to the exhibition during installation, dismantle, and exhibition dates.
EDCs are not permitted to perform, and exhibitors may not designate a contractor for any of the following services:
- Booth cleaning (includes vacuuming)
- Electrical services
- Internet
- Material handling
- Plumbing
- Rigging/hanging signs
- Security
- Telecommunications
An exhibitor can designate a contractor for booth installation and dismantle; audio visual (AV) or specialty services, such as, engraving, photography, and videography by completing the online EDC Authorization form by Friday, Aug. 10.
After this date, companies will not be able to submit authorization for services for their booth including photography, videography and other specialty services.
Failure to submit the form by the deadline will result in the exhibiting company being required to use labor provided by Freeman for installation and dismantle, and other official contractors for other services.
Exhibitors approved for early move-in on Monday, Oct. 22 understand they must use labor provided by Freeman. Independent contractors may begin working on Tuesday, Oct. 23.
The EDC Authorization Form will be available in the Exhibitor Portal on Friday, June 1.
Documentation
All EDCs and Subcontractors are required to have a Certificate of Insurance (COI) and Onsite Contact Form on file with the Academy in order to have access to the exhibition. Friday, Sept. 21 is the deadline for receipt of this documentation. Independent contractors whose documentation is not received by this date, or those whose documentation is incomplete, will not be allowed access to the exhibit floor.
It is the exhibiting companies’ responsibility to ensure the Academy receives this documentation.
Certificate of Insurance
The Certificate of Insurance MUST be an original and:
- Include $1,000,000 comprehensive general liability coverage against claims for bodily injury or death and property damage, for each occurrence;
- Include $1,000,000 comprehensive automobile liability insurance covering owned, leased, hired, and non-owned vehicles;
- Include worker’s compensation coverage for all permanent employees and temporary labor hired for the event;
- Name the American Academy of Ophthalmology as certificate holder and as an additional insured;
- Be in effect from October 22, 2018 through November 1, 2018;
- List the exhibiting company name(s) and booth number(s).
Exhibitors who are in the process of selecting an EDC should contact La Shon Smith, Exhibitions Manager, at lsmith@aao.org prior to Friday, Aug. 10, for instructions on how to proceed.
Onsite Contact Form
This contact form provides the Academy with the following information for each designated contractor and subcontractor:
- Name and contact information for booth Account Manager or Representative
- Exhibiting company name and booth number
- Onsite supervisor’s name and cell phone number
- 24- hour emergency phone number
- Approximate number of union personnel to be hired
- The names of all employees who require badges in addition to the Onsite Supervisor
The Onsite Contact Form will be available online in the Exhibitor Portal for independent contractors after the exhibiting company has submitted the online EDC Authorization Form.
Subcontractors
A Subcontractor is an independent contractor hired by an appointed EDC to perform a specific service for an exhibiting company’s booth or as their replacement.
The appointed EDC must complete the online Subcontractor Authorization form by Friday, Sept. 7.
EDC’s will be provided with information for logging into the Exhibitor Portal, the secure exhibitor area of the Academy web site where they can designate a Subcontractor, upload their documentation and provide onsite contact information.
They will use their company’s unique credentials on file with the Academy, to identify their designation as an independent contractor.
Badges
All EDCs are REQUIRED to register with McCormick Place. Independent contractors who are not registered with McCormick Place will not be allowed to work on the property. Login to access the current "Registration and Right of Entry License Agreement" that will authorize your company to operate in McCormick Place as an Exhibitor Designated Contractor, or to work on-site in any other approved capacity.
The Academy will issue an EDC badge for each EDC Supervisor and any additional personnel, which fulfills the individual event credential requirement.
Exhibitor Designated Contractor (EDC) personnel are not to be registered as exhibitor representatives.
- Badges will be issued with the individual’s name and company’s name.
- The EDC badge allows access to the exhibition during installation, dismantle, and the meeting dates.
- EDC badges will be available for pick-up at Exhibitor Registration beginning Wednesday, Oct. 24 during Exhibitor Registration hours.
- EDC badges will not be available for pick-up from 7 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27.