Where is Forum2026 located, and what are the parking options?

Forum2026 is being held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center:
1000 19th Street
Virginia Beach, VA, 23451

Free parking is available in lots on both sides of 19th Street, directly across from and adjacent to the convention center.

VBCC Website

What is the recommended attire?

The recommended attire for Forum is business casual. We suggest wearing comfortable shoes, as you'll be walking between session rooms. Bringing a sweater or jacket is also advised, as meeting rooms can be cool.

Is Forum live streamed for virtual attendance?

No, Forum will not be live-streamed virtually in real-time. However, virtual attendees will have access to available session recordings through the VIP LMS after the event.

How do I register and purchase my Forum Attendance Pass?

You will register and pay for the Forum online using the VIP LMS.

Registration is not confirmed until payment is received.

Credit Cards: VISA and MasterCard payments are accepted online.

Checks: Checks are not an accepted payment form.  All payments must be completed via the VIP LMS using a credit card.

The VIP LMS will send an email confirmation when the card payment is processed. Print and save this email as your receipt. You will need the invoice number to secure needed lodging.

Can I pay for registration with a P-card?

According to the Commonwealth Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual – SPCC Topic 20355: IAT for State Classes & Services (CARS) and Payment for State Classes & Services (Cardinal):

“The purchasing card may be used to pay for classes/services provided by another state agency only if the agency accepts VISA…”

The VIP LMS accepts VISA and MasterCard, so using a P-Card to pay for Forum registration is permissible.

Can I reserve my hotel before I pay for event registration?

No. In order to reserve your hotel room, you will need to first complete your registration in the VIP LMS and purchase your Forum Attendance Pass. Once you have received your receipt with the invoice number, you will be able to reserve your hotel room.

Anyone who registers for the Forum before the registration deadline will be guaranteed one hotel room within the Forum hotel block. You are responsible for payment and timely reservation of your hotel room. Rooms blocked at our particular hotels are first-come, first-served. You will not be guaranteed a room at any particular hotel until you have completed the reservation process.

Note: You can only register one hotel room at a time and only with the invoice number emailed to you in your payment receipt. Payment for the hotel room is not due during the reservation process, but a credit card guarantee is required. For more information on this, see the FAQ items regarding hotel payment below.

What is the refund and cancellation policy?

Buyer Forum2026 Attendance Passes are non-refundable. Registrations may be transferred to another individual within the same agency or converted to virtual attendance if the registrant is unable to attend in person.  Virtual registrants may request to convert to in-person attendance.

All registration change requests must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on October 30, 2026, by contacting the Forum Team at Forum@dgs.virginia.gov. After this date, in-person registration is locked, and no registration changes or transfers will be permitted.  The full fee will remain the responsibility of the paying entity.

In the unlikely event that this program is canceled or postponed due to insufficient enrollments or unforeseen circumstances, VIP, on behalf of the Department of General Services, will fully refund registration fees, but cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including cancellation or change charges assessed by airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organizations.

Where do I check in when I get to the conference?

The conference registration desk will be located inside the convention center on the main floor.

What meals and refreshments are provided?

• Sunday: Light reception (coffee, tea, light hors d'oeuvres ) during registration
• Monday - Wednesday*: Morning refreshment break
• Monday & Tuesday: Buffet lunch and afternoon refreshment break.

*Please note: Breakfast is not provided. A morning refreshment break is available, but this is not considered a full meal.

What if I have special dietary needs?

The Forum offers vegan meal options that generally accommodate common medically necessary dietary needs. Please indicate any dietary restrictions when completing your registration form.

Due to the complexity of serving large group meals, we are unable to accommodate personal dietary preferences. If needed, check with your hotel to see if a mini-fridge is available to store personal food items.

Is the hotel rate subject to change?

State lodging rates are governed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates effective October 1 of each year. Rate changes are generally announced in August. To determine whether the rate changes this fall, search for Virginia Beach as your travel destination using the search criteria on the website:

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877

Should I contact a hotel directly to reserve a room?

No, all Forum rooms must be booked through the central reservation system. Individual hotels have been instructed not to offer the Forum room rate for rooms booked outside the contracted blocks. The Forum team has negotiated significant discounts for meeting space and transportation that rely on a fixed number of rooms booked through the central reservation system. Your cooperation in booking through the central reservation system helps ensure we can continue offering Forum registration at a modest cost.

Do Forum hotels allow direct bill?

No, in the conference industry, it is general practice for hotels to allow direct bill only to the organization that has a lodging contract, in this case, DGS. Although your agency may use direct bill for lodging on other agency business, conference lodging is treated differently, and you should not anticipate being able to secure individual direct bill arrangements with any of the Forum hotels.

Can my organization pay for lodging rooms using a P-Card if the P-Card holder is not attending the Forum?

Hotels have identified a credit authorization process that allows for payment of one or more lodging rooms with a small purchase charge card that will not necessarily be presented at check-in. The credit authorization process requires disclosure of only the last four digits of the credit card number on the authorization form. The entire credit card number will be associated with the online reservation, and therefore, full disclosure of the card number on the authorization form is not necessary. The credit authorization process replaces in-person card presentation for lodging payment, but does not eliminate the requirement for each lodger to present a separate card for incidentals billed to their room. Check the Hotel section above or with the hotel front desk manager/hotel revenue manager to use the credit authorization process.

How many recertification contact hours can I earn?

Up to 15.5 contact hours can be earned for attending the in-person event in full, which includes .5 contact hours for completing the Pre-Conference module on LMS, 2 contact hours for attendance at the Supplier Connect, .5 contact hours for the Monday DSBSD Awards presentation during lunch, and associated contact hours for each session. To receive full credit, register before the sessions begin on Monday and attend all Forum events through the close of the Forum on Wednesday, including the Supplier Connect.

Be sure to complete only the survey for each session attended in person during the event, accessible via the Forum app, by 5:00 PM  11/30/2026, to have your attendance recorded on the VIP LMS.

Sessions will be recorded and accessible on the VIP LMS approximately 30 days after the close of the live event until June 30th (Forum2025 is available now until June 30, 2026, and Forum2026 will be available after the live event until June 30, 2027). You can earn a further 15 credit hours by watching the available recorded sessions you did not attend live, for a total of 30 credit hours.

How do I claim contact hours for recertification?

In-person: Complete the survey for each session you attend while at Forum, accessible in the Forum app. For attendees without smartphones, the app can be accessed via a tablet or desktop computer using the app link. Your in-person attendance, as reflected by completed surveys, will be shown on your transcript in the VIP LMS by 12/1/2026. Any questions regarding in-person attendance credit should be directed to the VIP Help Desk at absorb@dgs.virginia.gov by 5:00 PM 12/18/2026.

Virtual Attendance: Contact hours are automatically awarded on the VIP LMS as you watch and interact with each recorded session. Please note, you may watch the recording for sessions attended in person to review content; however, contact hours can only be earned once.

It is vitally important that your registration information matches your information in the VIP LMS to ensure all credit for sessions you attend applies to your VIP LMS account. If you ever need to change your information with VIP, contact VIPregistration@dgs.virginia.gov. If you need to correct your Forum registration information, contact Forum@dgs.virginia.gov.

Will I receive an attendance certificate?

No, attendance certificates are not provided for the Forum during the event. After you complete your surveys for the in-person sessions and your attendance is uploaded into the LMS, or you view the recorded sessions after the live event online, a certificate for each individual session attended will be available in the VIP LMS which lists the hours obtained for both VCA/VCO/VCM/VCARM hours and CPE credit hours. The total hours earned will be reflected on the header of your transcript in the VIP LMS.

How do I download the Forum App?

Upon launch, registered participants will receive an email with further instructions on how to download the app.

How do I log in to the Forum app?

If you are a registered Forum participant, you will receive an email from the Forum Team containing your login information. If you recently registered, please allow up to five business days before you receive your login information.

What does the Forum App do?

With the conference app, you can:

• Browse and search sessions, speakers, and suppliers.

• Build your schedule.

• See gaps in your daily calendar and easily fill them.

• Find your way around using interactive floor maps.

• Take notes and access provided presentation materials.

• Receive updates on schedule and session changes.

• Easily share contact information with other attendees.

• View shuttle schedules and menu information.

Do I have to use my data while downloading and using the app?

To avoid using data, download the app while connected to WiFi. You will be able to access most features without needing WiFi or data. A free WiFi network will be available during the Forum at the Convention Center.

Do I need to use the app to get attendance credit for VCA/VCO/VCM/VCARM or CPE credit hours?

If you attend in person, yes. You will complete the survey included in the app for all in-person sessions you attend. These sessions will show as complete in the Virginia Institute of Procurement's Learning Management System (LMS) with the associated contact hours and completion certificates shown on your VIP Transcript. The app can be accessed via smartphone, tablet, or computer link to complete surveys. You will be able to access the recorded sessions on the VIP LMS to earn further credit for the event once they are published after the live event.

If I add a session to my schedule in the app, is my seat in the room guaranteed?

No.  All space in session rooms is available on a first-come, first-served basis.  The ability to add sessions to your schedule in the app is provided in order to help you plan your itinerary.

What are supplier-led sessions?

Suppliers have been provided the opportunity to apply to present a twenty-minute, non-commercial session to educate attendees on an industry topic or trend in the Tower Cafe room on Tuesday before and after the Supplier Connect event.  Attendees can earn .5 contact hours of recertification credit for each supplier-led session attended when the associated survey is completed.  All Forum credit-claim policies apply.

What is the Matchmaking session? How do I participate?

The Matchmaking session, conducted Tuesday 1:30-3:15, is designed to provide an opportunity for buyers with a need to meet with suppliers who provide that specific commodity.

Appointments conducted during this timeframe are scheduled in advance.  Attendees who keep their scheduled appointment as required will earn 1.5 hours of contact hours for recertification purposes.

You will receive a link to complete an interest form with your contact information and NIGP codes for the commodities you are interested in purchasing.  Suppliers will complete a similar form with their information and NIGP codes for commodities they provide.  Individuals will then be matched and scheduled appointments to discuss the specific need during the Matchmaking Session conducted 11/17/2026, 1:30-3:15.  You must keep your scheduled appointment and complete the associated survey to earn recertification credit. All Forum credit-claim policies apply.

What is the Supplier Connect Code of Conduct?

Supplier Connect will be held Tuesday morning 10:20AM-12:30PM. Please be aware of the below code of conduct:

• Wagons, trolleys, shopping carts, large shopping bags, etc. will not be permitted in the Supplier Connect event.

• In order to ensure there are enough for all, you may only take one (1) giveaway item per booth as these are permitted for registered in-person Forum participants.

• This code is designed to make Forum2026 welcoming for our supplier partners as well as Forum attendees. Violators may be asked to leave the Supplier Connect or Forum2026 at DGS discretion with no refunds given.