• PMI Component Annual Charter Renewal Deadline is Today!
• Virtual Communities Project (VCP) Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
• What You Should Know About…Component Insurance Policies
• Why Should Your Component Apply for an Award?

• Registration is Open for 2008 EMEA Leadership Institute Meeting in Malta

It’s annual PMI component charter renewal time. All 281 chartered PMI components are required to submit their 2008 charter renewal to PMI Global Operations Center by Friday, 29 February. To date, 33 components have not yet started this important process.

Officers with the proper permissions set in the Component System (CS) can access the charter renewal, as follows:

1. Logon to PMI.org
2. Once logged on, click on Get Involved in the top navigation bar
3. From the menu bar on the left, click Components & Communities
4. Component System/DEP will be the last selection under Components & Communities
5. The 2008 Charter Renewal link is located on the first page of the Component System (CS) on the left hand side of the page

If you have questions, please call Anne Jenemann at +1-610-356-4600, ext. 5035, or
e-mail to charterrenewals@pmi.org.

Who is leading VCP — Phase 2?

A new project charter for VCP — Phase 2 was approved by PMI COO, Executive Vice President and VCP Project Sponsor Mark Langley on 13 February. VCP Phase 2 will be addressed by a cross-functional team comprised of both staff and volunteer resources.

Staff resources will include representatives from PMI’s Component and Community Relations, Information Technology, and Knowledge Delivery departments.

Additionally, an advisory group – Virtual Communities Advisory Group (VCAG) was chartered in January 2008. Its purpose is to provide feedback and advice to PMI’s C&CR department for enhancement and refinement of virtual community transition, formation and maintenance policies and procedures.

Three members of the VCP core team will continue their work on the project and transition onto the VCAG. The members of the VCAG are: Guillaume Saouli, PMP; Rose Mary Tyler, PMP; Dan Tuten, PMP and David Violette, PMP.

To learn more about VCP and review the complete VCP Frequently Asked Questions document and VCP status reports, see the Component Leadership Online Community > Communications section.

Second of two parts. Part one ran in last week’s Friday Facts. For past issues, please visit Component Leadership Online Community > Communications.

The event insurance questionnaire is an item of particular importance for component insurance.

The questionnaire either confirms that component activities are covered events under the component general liability policy or indicates that separate insurance is required for uncovered events, or indicates that the activities require a certificate of insurance.

PMI’s insurance broker reviews the completed questionnaire to determine if additional special event coverage is needed.

Hotels, restaurants and other meeting facilities sometimes require a certificate of insurance to document that your component has adequate coverage. PMI’s broker will generate a certificate of insurance if the event location requests one.

Routine meetings are covered events and normally do not require additional coverage or a certificate of insurance. However, please check with the building manager or the venue contact person to confirm if a certificate of insurance is needed.

We help make it easy for you; PMI has a well-established process in place with the insurance broker to get the necessary certificate.

We strongly recommend that you complete the event insurance questionnaire, which can be found on the Component Leadership Online Community > Policies > Component Insurance > Event Insurance form.

For assistance with any component insurance questions, please contact Anne Jenemann.

The PMI Component Awards Program offers awards for all components regardless of size. Here's why you should apply for awards:

1. Your success deserves recognition. The awards highlight your component’s accomplishments throughout the component community.

2. Your application builds a resource of component best practices and proven programs. These are shared and help other components to grow and attain success.

3. The awards support the growth of the project management profession, a major strategic direction of PMI.

4. Success builds more success. Components that receive an award gain an additional complimentary registration to PMI’s 2008 North America Leadership Institute Meeting, where you will increase your knowledge and your networks.

5. Award recipients are recognized in PMI publications and receive a news release template to generate awareness of their success in their local community.

The 2008 awards recognize 2007 achievements. Your component is encouraged to apply for as many awards as its activities will support. Here are some steps to guide your application.

• Start now.
• Note the critical deliverables and dates including the requirement of charter renewal submission, due Friday, 29 February. The awards application deadline is 30 April.
• Identify an application team of three to five members.
• Have the team carefully review the application package before taking action.
• Gather all supporting documentation. Confirm that documentation is included for everything reported.
• Submit all materials in English and in the format required by the application.
• Submit your information using electronic files rather than Web links. Files are more stable and can be incorporated into the online Toolkit.
• Ask someone outside the team to review the application. Choose a reviewer that can be objective. Also ask the reviewer to confirm that all the files will open.
• Seek advice from PMI staff if needed.
• Congratulate the team publicly for its contribution to preparing the awards package.

The EMEA Leadership Institute Meeting, 16–18 May in St. Julians, Malta, is an opportunity for professional development, skills improvement and networking.

The meeting is a fantastic way to build relationships through networking opportunities with the PMI Board of Directors, component leaders and staff.

Reconnect with old friends and develop new relationships through working in teams during workshop sessions, sharing luncheons and breakout sessions with peers from diverse communities and countries.

Develop your leadership qualities in the many sessions where colleagues and friends share project and component stories.

PMI e-mailed a special code to all component presidents and chairs to receive one complimentary registration for their components to attend the meeting in Malta. Additional registrations are available at a per diem cost. For more information, please visit the meeting website. If you have questions, please contact the Leadership Institute Administrator Gil Marder.

Friday Facts is a weekly report on PMI events and opportunities. Information contained herein may be reprinted in PMI component newsletters.

"PMI," the PMI logo, "Making project management indispensable for business results",“PMI Today”, “PM Network”, “Project Management Journal”, "PMBOK", "CAPM", "PMP", the PMP logo, and "OPM3", are registered marks of Project Management Institute, Inc. "Program Management Professional (PgMP)" is a service mark of Project Management Institute, Inc. The PMI Educational Foundation logo and "Empowering the future of project management" are registered marks of PMI Educational Foundation.

For a comprehensive list of PMI marks, contact the PMI Legal Department.