August
1 , 2003
PROGRAM
FEATURES
Developments in e-commerce will again be featured this year, and
remarks will feature both technical and business approaches. Continuing
efforts to integrate revenue applications and use technology to
enable "one-stop customer service" will be presented,
as well as other new and developing areas such as Web filing,
streamlined sales, federal-state employment tax e-filing, integrated
tax systems, 2-D barcoding, IRS IT modernization, data warehousing,
and tax compliance applications.
EXHIBIT HALL
There will also be a vendor exhibit hall providing a concentrated
opportunity to visit with private sector representatives about
new products and services during extended hours on Sunday, August
10, and Monday, August 11. A preliminary list of exhibitors for
this year is listed to the right; spaces are filling up fast!
FTA
has again outsourced the management of our Exhibit Hall to an
outstanding trade show firm in Annandale, VA, The
Bridge Group. If you are a provider and would like to exhibit
your products and services, please contact Lee Arevian, Principal
with The Bridge Group, at lee@tbgevents.com
or 703-425-1186.
EVENT
SPONSORSHIP
This year we are embarking on a new Sponsorship
Program that provides the opportunity to support the Annual
FTA Technology Conference and Exhibition. There are new opportunities
for industry to sponsor Conference functions, including coffee
breaks, lunches, and evening receptions, as well as other modes
of support for the FTA, including signage, sponsor ribbons, and
program and podium recognition, and also featuring additional
vendor benefits such as free registrations and exhibit booths.
For Sponsorship information, also contact Lee Arevian at lee@tbgevents.com
or 703-425-1186.
RELATED
MEETINGS
Again this year there will be a meeting of the ASC
X12/TIGERS Group at the conclusion of the Technology Conference,
from 1:30 pm August 13 through noon on the 15th. This government/industry
consensus group develops electronic standards and is now developing
guidance on the use of eXtensible Markup Language (XML) for Tax
Filing. There is a nominal $35 registration fee for the TIGERS
meeting, and we ask that you pre-register so that an accurate
count can be made for hotel space planning purposes.
The National
Association of Computerized Tax Processors will again hold
its annual meeting from August 13-15 in conjunction with the FTA
Technology Conference, in the Hilton Pittsburgh. Contact Mimi
Nolan at mnolan@hrblock.com
for additional information.
For meeting logistics details, please contact Darrell Reeves at
darrell.reeves@taxadmin.org.
Meeting and exhibit information will also be provided on the FTA
home page at www.taxadmin.org.
REGISTRATION
The Conference registration fee is $295 for government
delegates and $425 for industry participants.
This includes the opening Exhibit Hall reception on Sunday, continental
breakfast Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the Monday Exhibit Hall
luncheon and Tuesday luncheon. Please submit your registration
by July 18. You may do so on-line at www.taxadmin.org.
Again, the FTA Conference registration deadline is July
18, 2003. A late fee of $35 will be assessed if you fail
to register before the workshop. Faxed registrations
will be accepted at (202) 624-7888. If unable to make payment
at the time of registration, registrants are asked to indicate
payment method, including requests for invoicing. Checks will
also be accepted on-site for payment. MasterCard or VISA is accepted;
to pay by phone, call 202-624-5892, or you may also pay via on-line
registration on the FTA Web site.
Cancellations. Cancellations are accepted without penalty if received
by August 5; cancellations after that date (except emergencies)
will incur a $35 processing fee. On-site NEW registrants must
add a $35 fee.
HOTEL REGISTRATION
The conference will be held at the Hilton
Pittsburgh Hotel, 600 Commonwealth Avenue, Pittsburgh PA,
15222. The Hilton 800 reservations number is 800-445-8667; the
hotel’s direct line is 412-391-4600. FTA Group Rates are
Government $89/Industry $109 single/double, plus 14% tax. When
you make your reservations indicate you are attending the FTA
Technology Conference and specify “government” or
“industry.” Early registration is urged, as the block
tends to fill quickly. The cut-off date for hotel reservations
is July 25; rooms may not be available after
that date.
GROUND TRANSPORTATION
Local shuttle transportation is offered to and from the airport
every hour by Express Shuttle USA; the cost is approximately $16
one-way. You can call 412-321-4990 for more information. Trip
duration each way is about 35 minutes (non-rush hour).
CULTURE, WEATHER, EVENTS AND SUCH
Once a heavily industrialized area, the City of Pittsburgh has
transformed itself into a corporate, educational, financial, medical,
and technological center. You may want to check for more information
at: http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/cvbonline/.
Pittsburgh has a yearly average temperature range of 43 to 61
degrees; you will find the warmest days (reaching 82 degrees)
during our August meeting. Dress for the sessions will be business
casual, meaning collared shirts and slacks for men but no ties.
There are many interesting things to do and see in Pittsburgh
during the conference dates, including excellent museums (science,
natural history, and art), theatre, ballet and opera, Pittsburgh
Pirates baseball (at home at PNC Park all week), golf and other
outdoor recreation, the Saturday morning open air market, as well
as the Incline and historic Kennywood Park, and much more. To
learn about additional options, the hotel Concierge desk number
is 412-594-5140. The hotel has a complimentary local-attraction
shuttle service.
FTA hopes that you are able to attend the Conference and Exhibition,
and we look forward to seeing you there.
Sincerely,
Harley T. Duncan
Executive Director
