Requirement to submit proposal
Proposals must be submitted by any institution seeking to host an official AMTA tournament for the first time. Current hosts must submit a proposal if the tournament received an unfavorable AMTA Representative evaluation during the prior academic year or upon the request of the National Tournament Committee (NTC).

Selection Procedures
The NTC shall review the proposals and present formal recommendation(s) to the AMTA Board of Directors at its annual meeting. The Committee will notify prospective hosts of the Committee's decision. The Committee shall employ the following criteria, in no particular order, in evaluating the requests:

• Overall quality of the proposal
• Cost-effectiveness for participants
• Location
• Experience and reliability of organizers

Eligibility to Host
Any member institution, other institution of higher learning or non-profit organization, may submit Proposals. Non-member institutions should have a contact person or organizer who holds individual membership in the American Mock Trial Association.

Proposal Requirements
Proposals must be submitted typewritten and include a cover letter summarizing the proposal. Essential requirements include:

Facilities
Please demonstrate that the host can secure the following rooms. The proposal should include the proposed site and should list any costs associated with the site. If using a courthouse site, the proposal should review any special requirements imposed by the courthouse for security and insurance. The proposal should list any costs associated with the facilities with the understanding that AMTA National Hosts receive a fixed budget, regardless of costs. Photographs of the facility should accompany the proposal.

• Trial rooms sufficient to host at least 48 teams (24 rooms appropriate for trials, with tables and chairs. Student desks are not acceptable)
• A room that can safely seat all participants and is appropriate for an opening assembly and awards ceremony.
• A meeting room in each division for judges, equipped with a power point projector and screen, with appropriate space for refreshments
• A meeting room in each division appropriate for captains' meetings (it is acceptable to use the same room as is used for the opening assembly and awards ceremony)
• Wheelchair access

Judges
The proposal should address the need to recruit at least three individuals per trial per round to serve as judges. These individuals should be actual judges, attorneys or advanced law students. The proposal should contain the following information.

• A recruitment plan for judges, including a timeline
• Information regarding the judging pool (size, resources, contacts made by the organizers, access to Bar Association electronic mailing lists, etc)
• Information on past recruitment efforts (judge turnout at invitational tournaments, past regional tournaments, or prior national tournaments)
• Amenities provided for judges and approximate costs

Proposed Dates
The proposal should indicate the probable dates of the tournament and provide confirmation of the availability of facilities, if possible. Too, the proposal should indicate if there are any dates in March that would be problematic. If formal confirmation is not available, the proposal should indicate when such confirmation would become available.

Organizers
The organizers should have experience in organizing a tournament or conference and should list such experience in the proposal. Proposals from tournament organizers that are experienced will receive preference.

Lodging and food
List the local lodging and restaurant accommodations to meet the needs of your estimated number of participants.

Transportation
List the transportation (airport, trains, buses, trolleys, taxis, etc.) that is available in the area. Include distance and available transportation from the nearest international airport.

Institutional Support
A letter from a faculty member or administrator of the affiliated institution or organization should accompany the proposal, confirming institutional support for the tournament. The letter should be written on official letterhead and signed.

Budget
Although the budget is fixed, AMTA must verify that the prospective host is prepared to meet all of the financial obligations. The proposal should identify other financial resources the prospective host has beyond what AMTA will be providing. This may include commercial and private donations in cash or in kind. Describe how the prospective will secure these resources in a timely manner. Include a budget outlining the costs associated with the event.

Proposed Schedule
The proposal should include a preliminary schedule of events.

AMTA Assistance
The American Mock Trial Association will provide the following:

• The on-site assistance of two AMTA Representatives per division during the tournament to conduct meetings, to perform tabulation, to verify results, to award national tournament bids and to insure compliance with AMTA rules and policies. AMTA will cover the expenses associated with providing AMTA Representative assistance.
• Ballots, tabulation cards and trophies
• Contact Information for all participants
• A stipend to the host based upon the budget for the tournament passed at the annual meeting of the AMTA Board of Directors.

Deadlines and Submission Procedures
The NTC is currently considering sites for the 2010 National Tournaments. The deadline for submission of proposals is April 1, 2007. The proposals should be submitted in electronic format and in hard copy to the AMTA main office.