CSI Long Course Bid Information

Update posted January 27, 2012: Program Operations invites clubs to bid on a "CSI Age Group 14/U Invite."

IMPORTANT BROWSER INFORMATION: Internet Explorer (IE) 7.0 and later, Safari, and Firefox handle virtual bids correctly. Versions of IE 6.0 do not handle the pop-up calendar properly.

Welcome to the 2012 LC Bid Declarations information page. Using the Swim Meet Bids application in Connecticut FAST , clubs will post their bids "virtually" to a password protected online calendar, and in real-time, will see bid declarations. Bidding clubs may move, edit or remove their bids until the deadline. After the deadline, clubs may view all bids in a calendar format, but may not edit their bids.

NOTE: Regional Championships and Senior Invite bids, and Out-of-State bids will not use Connecticut FAST to bid. The traditional online bid submittals will be used.

DEADLINES: Bidding will open January 16, 2012 and close on Thursday, February 23, 2012. CSI Regional Championship, CSI Senior Invite and Out-of-State bidding will close one week earlier on Thursday February 16, 2012.

UPDATE posted January 27, 2012: Program Operations invites clubs to bid on a "CSI Age Group 14/U Invite."

Except for changes to how bids are submitted online, all other bid policies and procedures apply for both regularly-scheduled meets and championship meets.

· Program Operations expects to announce Regional Championship awards prior the closing date of virtual bidding.

· I have read the above 3 documents and would like to submit a bid. Please submit a separate bid declaration for each meet.

· Program Operations expects to announce the Senior Invite award prior the closing date of virtual bidding.

· Bidding clubs will see all submitted bids in real time on the "Meet Bid Link" on their club administration page in FAST. After bids close, the final bids maybe viewed but not changed.

o To submit a bid, clubs must log into the Administration page of Connecticut FAST and click on "Swim Meet Bids"

· I have read the above 4 documents and would like to submit a bid for a regularly-scheduled meet.

Please remember that there are separate bid procedures for Regional Championships and regularly-scheduled meets. These directions are for regularly-scheduled CSI meets.

Note about the pools. Pools are pre-loaded. If a pool is missing, please email me and I will load it. After you select the course for your meet, the list of pools will refresh and contain only pools with the specified course.

1. Log into Connecticut FAST using your club's password. There is only 1 password per club, so this is the same password that is used for Online Entries.

3. Click on a calendar for the month in which you are bidding. Then select the day. A "New Swim Meet Bid" form will open. You must complete ALL the fields. If you plan to use officials from another club to round out your officials list, be sure to select that option. When you are done click "Submit New Meet Bid".

5. To Move your bid: Click on Edit on the Calendar page and change the dates. You will not have to re-enter any details.

7. You may edit, move, delete and add as many bids as you like until the deadline. After the deadline, you may only view the calendar and bid details.

8. You may View other clubs' bids, but you may not edit, move or delete another clubs' bids.

9. You may select officials from another club, but you must have one officials from your club and you must supply a letter of intent from "guest" officials to Program Operations.

10. After bids close, Program Operations will review the list and look for pool conflicts, etc. You should be available to answer any questions from Program Operations.

11. Bids that are rejected by Program Operations, after the closing date, will display in red as "rejected". Rejections will be due to pool conflicts, requests from bidder to remove a bid, lack of letter of intent from an official, etc.

· Clubs that wish to host a 2012 long course meet shall be required to declare their intention to sponsor a meet by completing an online Declaration of Intention using FAST Online Bids. Clubs will be required to finalize their declaration by: Thursday, February 23, 2012.

· NOTE: Due to the lack of long course venues, clubs procuring a facility after the bid deadlines may request meet sponsorship. CSI Program Operations will consider requests on an individual basis with consideration given to the current long course schedule.

· Program Operations will not consider applications for sanctions/approvals for meets conducted on the weekend of Regional Championship July 20 -22, 2012, if the intended entrants are eligible to participate in Regional Championships, without specific authorization by the Board of Directors or its Executive Committee.

· Declarations of Intention for meets must include the proposed dates of the meet(s), and a description of the meet format, splash fees, awards, entry times, etc.

· Clubs who submit a Declaration will view in real-time a list of all bids, which includes type of meet proposed, and the pools and dates requested.

· Hosts are encouraged to host a Friday or Friday Evening session. A Friday evening session is required for hosts awarded a meet at Wesleyan University.

· Officials: All bidding clubs are required to have a certified Stroke & Turn Official, Starter, and Referee registered with their team. For clubs unable to meet this requirement for a starter and referee (All bid forms also must include at least one certified Stroke and Turn Official, registered with the host team, in order to bid.); the requirement can be met by acquiring a letter of intent, sent to CSI Program Operations, demonstrating the commitment of both the starter and referee to work the bid meets. Please send this letter not later than: Thursday, February 23, 2012.

· Date and Pool Conflicts: If there is more than one team bidding for a particular pool on a particular date, preference will be given first to CSI clubs and then to a team who has included on its bid form a list of its club’s officials, at least one of whom is a referee and one of whom is a starter, who have committed to work at that particular meet.

o A lottery system will be used if there is more than one team with officials bidding for a particular pool on a particular date. Any club with officials who receives a date by lottery will be ineligible for a second meet by lottery until all clubs with officials have received their first meet. Clubs without officials may also receive pools and dates by lottery; but, if there is a club with officials bidding, that club will be given priority.

· Meet Acceptance Form and Sanction Deposit will be due in the CSI office by Saturday, March 24, 2012.

· Meet Announcements and meet event files will be due in the CSI office by Saturday, March 24, 2012. If any team is late, it will be notified and will have 48 hours in which to submit its announcement or the club will be subject to partial forfeiture of its meet sanction fee deposit.

If you have any questions, please contact Tak Takabayashi, Program Operations Chairman, takutot@gmail.com

Technical questions regarding the website and/or online submittal should be directed to Nan Cooper, office@ctswim.org.

· CSI clubs that wish to host a 2012 LC Regional Championship meet shall be required to declare their intention to sponsor a meet by completing an on-line Declaration of Intention. Clubs will be required to return their declaration by: Thursday, February 16, 2012.

· Clubs who return a Declaration will receive a list of all bidders, no later than: Saturday, February 18, 2012 . Clubs may withdraw their bids no later than: Monday, February 20, 2012.

· The Meet Selection Committee will review all the declarations. Program Operations will put forth its recommendation to the CSI Board of Directors for approval. Scheduled bid award date will be no later than Tuesday, February 21, 2012. (The Program Operations Division and the Board of Directors reserve the right to make final Regional Championship awards later than scheduled if necessary.)

· Format: CSI will be conducting 6 (six) Regional Championship meets on July 20-22, 2012. One Friday Evening distance meet for all age groups will be held. Two 13/O meets will be held: one morning meet and one afternoon meet. Three 12/U meets will be held and all as morning meets. All meet assignments will be by club. One 13/O morning meet, one 13/O afternoon meet, and Friday Evening events will be conducted at Wesleyan University. Bids will be considered for other acceptable venues. If any timeline warrants action, Program Operations, with input from the meet host, reserves the right to make adjustments to the meet to ensure a quality meet.

o Entries will be divided as equally as is practical by clubs, but there will be no revenue or cost equalization between 12/U and 13/O meet hosts.

· Declarations of Intention for meets must include: 1.) All officials registered with bidding club, 2.) Experience running championship meets, 3.) Club biography outlining club's qualifications for running a championship meet

· Officials: All bidding clubs are required to have a certified Referee, Starter and Stroke & Turn Officials, registered with their club. For clubs unable to meet this requirement for a starter and referee (All bid submittals also must include at least one certified Stroke and Turn Official, registered with the host club, in order to bid.); the requirement can be met by acquiring a letter of intent, sent to CSI Program Operations, demonstrating the commitment of both the starter and referee to work the bid meets. Please send not later than: Thursday, February 16, 2012

· Selection Criteria: If there is more than one club bidding for a particular meet, preference will be given to a club based on the level of certification of officials and number of officials; experience hosting championship meets; qualifications of meet management; and evaluation of the club's bio. The Connecticut Swimming will select meet hosts based on these criteria.

Sanction Deposit, Surcharge and Meet Reports: Sanction deposit will be collected and refunded in full if sanction requirements are met. Entering clubs will use FAST Online entries and a sd3 entry file will be emailed to host club from the CSI Office. The CSI Surcharge Policy will be in effect and applies to Regional Championships.

Meet hosts are responsible for facility rental fees except for Friday evening. CSI will fully subsidize pool rental for Friday Evening's session or sessions that contain long distance events only.

CSI will sign facility rental contracts and bill host clubs for facility rental.

Meet hosts are responsible for procuring and paying rental fees for any equipment that is necessary to run a championship meet including touchpads at the turn-end of the pool.

CSI will order 1-8 place medals and event winner caps. Clubs will inventory awards they distribute and submit payment to CSI for used awards. Unused awards must inventoried and returned to CSI Awards Chair by September 1, 2012. Clubs will be billed for awards that are not returned by September 1, 2012. Costs are approximately $1.90 per medal and $3.00 per event winner cap.

Meet database, Age Group Championship qualifying times, meet program, etc. are the responsibility of the host club.

Timelines must be submitted to Program Operations by Friday, July 13, 2012 9:00 PM.

Results must be submitted to the CSI Office Sunday evening following the championship meet.

Host clubs must provide concessions for athletes and spectators. Exception: meets held at Wesleyan. Wesleyan will provide concessions.

Host clubs must provide a separate hospitality area for coaches/officials with food/beverages adequate for the meet length.

Other requirements are listed in the Meet Managers Guide and on the CSI Policies and Procedures page.

· Meet Acceptance Form and Sanction Deposit will be due in the CSI office by Saturday, March 24, 2012. The Meet Acceptance Form and Sanction Deposit Policy will be distributed to clubs at the Meet Sponsorship Committee Meeting.

· Club information for the Regional Championship meet announcements will be due in the CSI office by Saturday, March 24, 2012. If any club is late, it will be notified and will have 48 hours in which to submit its information or the club will be subject to partial forfeiture of its meet sanction fee deposit.

If you have any questions, please contact Tak Takabayashi, Program Operations Chairman, takutot@gmail.com and/or online submittal should be directed to Nan Cooper, office@ctswim.org.

Declarations will be date and time stamped by the CSI server. Please print out the confirmation page. This page will serve as confirmation from CSI.

· Clubs that wish to host the 2012 Senior Invite shall be required to declare their intention to sponsor a meet by completing an on-line Declaration of Intention. Clubs will be required to return their declaration by: Thursday, February 16, 2012.

· Clubs who return a Declaration will receive a list of all bidders, no later than: Saturday, February 18, 2012. Clubs may withdraw their bids no later than: Monday, February 20, 2012.

· The Meet Selection Committee will review all the declarations. Program Operations will put forth its recommendation to the CSI Board of Directors for approval. Scheduled bid award date will be no later than Tuesday February 22, 2012. (The Program Operations Division and the Board of Directors reserve the right to make final Senior Invite award later than scheduled if necessary.)

· Format: CSI will be conducting a trials/finals Senior Invite meet on June 14-17, 2012. This will be a time standards meet where the standards shall be set by CSI Senior Committee and open to CT and out-of-state USA Swimming athletes. If the timeline warrants action, Program Operations, with input from the meet host, reserves the right to make adjustments to the meet to ensure a quality meet. The awarded club is required to host a Qualifier without time standards between Preliminary and Final sessions, where clubs with Invite participants shall have priority entry. This Qualifier will have a timeline that will not interfere with Invite and, in the case of oversubscription of the Invite, will be adjusted or cancelled.

· Declarations of Intention for meets must include: 1.) Officials registered with bidding club and, 2.) Experience running meets.

· Selection Criteria: If there is more than one club bidding for this meet, preference will be given to a club based on the level of certification of officials and number of officials and qualifications of meet management. If all criteria is equal between a CSI club and out-of-state club, then priority will be given to the CSI club.

Sanction Deposit, Surcharge and Meet Reports: Sanction deposit will be collected and refunded in full if sanction requirements are met. The CSI Surcharge Policy will be in effect.

Meet hosts are responsible for facility rental fees. If facility requires it, CSI will sign facility rental contract and bill host club for facility rental.

Meet hosts are responsible for procuring and paying rental fees for any equipment that is necessary to run this meet including touchpads at the turn-end of the pool.

The meet will be team scored. Awards will be presented to the top 3 for each event. The host may decide if other awards will be presented. It will be the host's responsibility to procure and pay for the awards.

If permitted by facility, host clubs must provide concessions for athletes and spectators.

Host clubs must provide a separate hospitality area for coaches/officials with food/beverages adequate for the meet length.

Other requirements are listed in the Meet Managers Guide and on the CSI Policies and Procedures page.

· Club information for the Senior Invite meet announcement will be due in the CSI office by Saturday, March 24, 2012. If late, the host will be notified and will have 48 hours in which to submit its information or the club will be subject to partial forfeiture of its meet sanction fee deposit.

If you have any questions, please contact Tak Takabayashi, Program Operations Chairman, takutot@gmail.com. Technical questions regarding the website and/or online submittal should be directed to Nan Cooper, office@ctswim.org.

Declarations will be date and time stamped by the CSI server. Please print out the confirmation page. This page will serve as confirmation from CSI.

IMPORTANT: All costs are approximations and pool availability is subject to change.

Colorado Timing system with 8 touchpads
Pool rental approximately $1200 per session; includes timing system.
All concessions will be run by Wesleyan University.
Contract, cost, and payment through Kate Mullen, Assistant Athletic Director

Date	Title	Location
June 14-17	CSI Senior Invite	Wesleyan University
June 25-July 2	USA Olympic Trials	Omaha, NE
July 12-15	CSI Senior Championship	Wesleyan University
July 20-22	CSI Regional Championships	TBD
July 26-29	CSI Age Group Championship	Wesleyan/Cheshire
Aug 2-5	Eastern Zone Super Sectionals	Buffalo, NY
Aug 7-11	US Open	Indianapolis, IN
Aug 13-17	USA Junior Championship	Indianapolis, IN
TBD	Eastern Zone Age Group Championship	TBD