Citizen Hearing Proposed Budget

Initial Proposed Budget
[Subject to change]

Citizen Hearing
This is a minimum budget that does not take into account additional production costs if the CH is to be broadcast live, rebroadcast and made into a documentary. The upper limit is estimated to be $300,000.
Location: Washington, DC
Expenses
	Former Congressional Members (at least 5)
		Travel
			Air			3,000
			Ground			300
		Lodging
			Hotel (private suite)			3,500
			Meals per diem			1,500
		Honorarium (week)				40,000
		Contingency support				13,000
	Witnesses (up to 30)
		Travel
			Air (some international)			22,500
			Ground			1,200
		Lodging
			Hotel (Private rooms)			15,000
			Meals per diem			10,500
		Vetting process				3,000
	Staff
		Attorneys (up to 4)
			Travel
				Air		1,200
				Ground		100
			Lodging
				Hotel (private room)		1,470
				Meals per diem		1,050
			Fees			14,000
			Phone			1,000
		Aides (6 local)
			Meals per diem			1,500
		Ushers (4 local)
			Meals per diem			1,000
	Control center
		Director				5,000
		Staff				3,000
		Suite				3,000
		Phone				1,000
		Meals				1,000
	Venue costs (full week)
		Ballroom				7,000
		Press rooms				3,500
		Side meeting rooms				3,500
		Audio/Video support				4,000
	Food and beverage
		Opening dinner (catered)				1,500
		Wrap-up dinner (catered)				3,500
		:Lunches (members & staff)				2,000
		Refreshments (audience & staff)				1,000
	Video crew and equipment (3)
		Fee				5,000
		Air				1,800
		Ground				150
		Lodging				980
		Meals per diem				1,050
	Advance work
		Press Kits				2,000
		Phone				1,000
		Labor (donated)				0
		Travel				5,000
		Website (donated by X-PPAC)				0
	Post event follow-up
		Video completion/copies				3,000
		Written transcript				3,000
		Press Conference (NPC)				3,000
		Press Releases				200

					Total	$200,000

Assumptions

The hearing would last 5 days from Monday to Friday. Congressional members and Monday's witnesses would arrive on Sunday. There would be meetings and dinner for staff and Congressional members Sunday evening; the hearings would go 6 1/2 hours per day for 5 days with 1.5 hour lunch breaks; there would be a wrap-up news conference on Saturday and dinner that evening for Congressional members, staff and some witnesses, departures on Sunday.
Each former member of Congress would receive an honorarium to be negotiated.
The Congressional Committee would be composed of no less than 5 former House/Senate members, with at least one member residing locally. One member would serve as chairperson.
The hearing setup would be in a ballroom of the hotel where the members and witnesses would be lodged. It would be designed to resemble as close as possible a real congressional hearing room.
All members, witnesses, and staff would be allowed a per diem meal allowance for use in the hotel only.
All tickets would be booked by X-PPAC, would be coach and would utilize discount fares whenever possible.
The Washington area has three major airports, which makes discount bookings easier than most cities.
Witnesses would be booked for the entire week in order to (a) take advantage of Saturday stayover fares, (b) be available for recall if needed, (3) watch the proceedings on site, and (4) be able to meet with other witnesses, press, hearing committee members, etc.
The target will be thirty witnesses testifying and answering questions over the 5 days.
Witnesses will have private rooms with two double beds to accommodate additional family.
Up to four attorneys would support the hearings - two local and two from out of town.