Event Suitcasing and Outboarding Policy

1. Purpose

​​HCAOA invests significant resources in producing its events and offers exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities that help fund its programming. This Suitcasing and Outboarding Policy (“Policy”) protects that investment, and the interests of HCAOA’s paying exhibitors and sponsors, by prohibiting unauthorized on-site solicitation (“suitcasing”) and unauthorized meetings, receptions, parties, or educational functions held in conjunction with an HCAOA event without HCAOA’s knowledge or consent (“outboarding”). Both practices allow outside companies to benefit from an audience HCAOA has built and subsidized without contributing to or coordinating with HCAOA, and both risk confusing attendees about which activities are part of HCAOA’s official program.

2. Definitions

2.1 “HCAOA Event” means any conference, trade show, meeting, or education program organized, produced, or officially sponsored by HCAOA, including the National Home Care Conference and any other current or future HCAOA conference or event.
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2.2 “Suitcasing” means any of the following activities conducted by any individual or company that is not a registered exhibitor, sponsor, or otherwise expressly authorized by HCAOA to do so:
(a) soliciting business, marketing products or services, distributing promotional or marketing materials, or taking orders within any space associated with an HCAOA Event, including exhibit halls, session rooms, registration areas, hotel lobbies, and other common areas used by attendees;
(b) representing, or allowing others to believe, that the individual or company is a registered exhibitor or sponsor of the HCAOA Event; or
(c) using the attendee list or any other attendee information obtained through an HCAOA Event to solicit business.

2.3 “Outboarding” means organizing, hosting, sponsoring, or promoting any meeting, reception, party, hospitality suite, demonstration, educational session, or similar function held in conjunction with, or during the dates of, an HCAOA Event, whether on the Event premises or off-site, without HCAOA’s prior written approval.

2.4 “Function” means a meeting, reception, hospitality suite, or similar function that has received prior written approval from HCAOA under Section 6.
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2.5 “Event Premises” means the official venue(s) of an HCAOA Event, including any host or headquarters hotel, convention center, or other contracted facility, and the surrounding common areas, such as lobbies, restaurants, and meeting space, used by attendees during the Event.

3. Applicability

This Policy applies to every HCAOA Event and to all attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, vendors, and other third parties participating in or attending an HCAOA Event, regardless of HCAOA membership status.

4. Prohibited Conduct

4.1 Suitcasing, as defined in Section 2.2, is prohibited at every HCAOA Event, regardless of whether the individual or company is a registered attendee.

4.2 Outboarding, as defined in Section 2.3, is prohibited unless the entity has received prior written approval under Section 5 and complies with Section 6.

4.3 No exhibitor or sponsor may permit, sponsor, or knowingly enable a non-exhibiting, non-sponsoring company to solicit business from the exhibitor's or sponsor's assigned booth or function space.
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4.4 No individual or company may use HCAOA's registration list, attendee roster, or other HCAOA Event data to promote a Function that has not been approved under Section 5.

5. Eligibility to Host a Function

5.1 Only entities that are registered exhibitors or sponsors of the applicable HCAOA Event may request approval to host an approved Function.
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5.2 Meeting the minimum investment in Section 4.1 does not guarantee approval. HCAOA retains sole discretion to approve, deny, or condition any request based on factors including, but not limited to, available space, scheduling conflicts with official programming, and the nature of the proposed Function.

5.3 Entities that do not meet the minimum investment in Section 4.1 are not eligible to host any Function in conjunction with an HCAOA Event, on-site or off-site.

6. Approval Process

6.1 An eligible entity wishing to host a Function must submit a written request to HCAOA’s Events Director, Andrea Liford-Martinez ([email protected]), no later than 60 days before the first official day of the applicable HCAOA Event.

6.2 The request must include the proposed date, time, and location; expected attendance; a description of the planned content and activities; and the name and contact information of the organizing entity.

6.3 HCAOA will review each request and respond in writing. No Function may be publicized, promoted to attendees or prospective attendees, referenced in any invitation or registration materials, or otherwise announced until HCAOA has approved it in writing.

6.4 HCAOA may adopt Event-specific procedures, deadlines, or forms, which will be published in that Event's exhibitor or sponsorship prospectus.

7. Restrictions on Approved Functions

7.1 Timing. An approved Function may not be scheduled during exhibit hall hours, general sessions, keynote presentations, or any official HCAOA reception, meal function, or education session, unless HCAOA grants a specific exception in writing. Absent such an exception, approved Functions are permitted only before or after the official program hours published for that day.

7.2 Content. An approved Function may not include educational, training, or informational programming that competes with or duplicates HCAOA’s official education program, and may not represent, suggest, or imply that it is part of HCAOA’s official program or carries HCAOA’s endorsement.

7.3 Branding. An approved Function may not use HCAOA’s name, the name of any HCAOA conference or event, HCAOA’s logo, or any HCAOA attendee or registration list in its promotion or operation without HCAOA’s separate prior written consent.
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7.4 Location. An on-site approved Function must take place only in space HCAOA or the host venue assigns for that purpose, and may not use exhibit hall aisles, HCAOA session rooms, or other common areas designated for the official program.

8. Reporting Violations

​Attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and HCAOA staff who observe or become aware of suspected suitcasing or outboarding should report it immediately to HCAOA’s Events Director, Andrea Liford-Martinez ([email protected]), or to HCAOA staff on-site at the applicable Event.

9. Enforcement

9.1 HCAOA may take any of the following actions, individually or in combination, against a party that violates this policy:

(a) Issue a warning and require the party to cease the prohibited conduct immediately.
(b) Remove the party, its materials, or its Function from the Event Premises without refund of any registration, exhibit, or sponsorship fees.
(c) Revoke the party's current exhibit or sponsorship privileges for the remainder of the Event.
(d) Deny the party's eligibility to exhibit, sponsor, or host a Function at future HCAOA Events, for a period HCAOA determines.
(e) For HCAOA members, refer the matter to HCAOA leadership for consideration of further action, up to and including membership consequences, under HCAOA's governing documents.
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9.2 HCAOA staff, and venue security personnel where engaged, are authorized to act on HCAOA's behalf to enforce this Policy on-site, including removing a violating party from the Event Premises.

9. Incorporation into Agreements

This Policy is incorporated by reference into HCAOA's exhibitor agreements, sponsorship agreements, and attendee registration terms and conditions for every HCAOA Event. Participation in an HCAOA Event as an exhibitor, sponsor, or attendee constitutes agreement to comply with this Policy.
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Last updated: August 26, 2026