1. Proposals for Microbicides 2010 should be from countries where there is a significant HIV/AIDS problem and/or where there is a great deal of/substantial relevant research, and/or where the conference would benefit the region by raising awareness among government, health policy officials, academics, Pharma, civil society etc.
    
2. The proposers should be involved in microbicide R&D and have the necessary/appropriate credibility both in their own country and internationally to host the conference. They should be able to assemble, and to provide with the necessary resources and administrative help, an effective core team that would ultimately organise the conference and take the lead in planning the overall conference programme, working closely with an international Scientific Advisory Committee as well as a suitable event management company. The core team may be financed, if necessary, by funds remaining from previous conferences or with funds provided by the hosting country and/or by the donors for this purpose. Should we ad something about the conference Co-chairs? “They would be expected to either be willing to serve as or identify suitable co-chairs”?
    
3. The proposers should be willing to take the lead in raising the funds necessary to mount the conference and to arrange for the efficient handling of foreign currency. In countries that do not use US$ or Euros as their primary currency, the proposers must have the authority and mechanism to establish a US$, Euro and other foreign currency account.
    
4. The location must be easy to reach by delegates from diverse countries and must possess a suitable venue for conference sessions, either in a convention centre, hotel or academic institution, as well as sufficient suitable, accessible hotel accommodation at a range of prices for up to 1,500 delegates.
    
5. It is an advantage if national and local government of the bidding country are enthusiastic about hosting the conference and willing to facilitate activities as necessary, including logistic and financial arrangements and the entry of delegates from many countries, most of whom will need visas. However, this is not a prerequisite as long as lack of government engagement does not interfere with the organising or planning of the conference or result in restricting the provision of visas from participants from any country. It would be reassuring if there were a track record of holding successful international conferences in the proposed country and, even better, at the proposed conference site.

Those who plan to submit a proposal to host the Microbicides 2010 conference should submit a letter of intent by 7 December 2007. The letter should include the names, affiliations and brief bio-sketches of the main protagonists and details of where the conference would be held.  The Letter of Intent, while not mandatory, would be appreciated so that the SAC would have some idea of how many full proposals to expect Full proposals, including an illustrative list of who the protagonists would invite to be the conference co-chairs and members of an international scientific advisory committee, should be submitted by 7 January 2008.

Letters of intent and full proposals should be sent to:

Conference Secretariat
Microbicides 2008
Room No. 214
Indian Council of Medical Research
Ansari Nagar,
New Delhi 110029, INDIA
E-mail: M2008@microbicides2008.com
FAX: 91 11 26588755