Shipping on Behalf of a Federal Agency: What Your Event Shipper Needs From Your Team

If your company exhibits at conferences on behalf of a federal agency, you're in a slightly unusual position. The booth carries the agency's name, but the shipment is yours to get right. Over 35 years we've handled event freight for contractors serving the Department of State, HUD, the Department of Energy and HHS, and the same question comes up early: who does the shipper actually work with?

We work through the contractor, not the agency

The contractor is our customer. Your Shipping Coach works directly with your team, and the shipment is handled like any other: freight that has to arrive on time and intact. There's no separate process to learn and no extra layer between you and the person moving your materials.

That keeps the lines of communication short. When a show changes its deadlines or a venue adds a requirement, your coach talks to the people who can act on it.

The four things your coach will ask about

You don't need every detail to start. Most contractors don't have them, and that's normal. These are the questions your coach will work through with you, usually the ones nobody else thought to ask:

• Pickup. Where are the materials now, and is there a dock, a freight elevator or a set pickup window at that building?
• Show requirements. What does the exhibitor kit say about the advance warehouse, direct-to-show delivery and labeling?
• The freight itself. What's moving, how is it packed, and is anything fragile or oversized?
• The return. Where does it go after the show: back to your office, into storage, or straight to the next event?

The return is the one most often left until the last day of the show. Planning it up front saves a rushed decision on the show floor.

Close to the Beltway, shipping to everywhere

We're based in Falls Church, Virginia, which makes pickups from offices and warehouses around Washington, DC straightforward. From there, materials go to shows all over the country: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Orlando, Boston, Atlanta and back to DC. We also ship to events in Canada and Europe.

What will it cost?

It depends on what's moving, where and when: the pickup, the show's requirements, the freight itself and the return trip. Tell your coach what you know, and we'll guide you to an estimate for shipping.

You can read more about how we work with government contractors and the agency programs they support.

How ready is your agency program?

Your Shipping Coach can walk through your show calendar with you and point out which parts of your shipping are covered and which still need an owner. Email shippingcoach@northstarexpress.com, call 703-532-0520, or request a quote.

About the author
Rex Houlihan is the CEO of NorthStar Express, a trade show and event shipping company in Falls Church, Virginia that has been shipping to events for 35 years. Rex also created Coast2Coast4ALS, a cross-country bike ride raising awareness and funds for the ALS community. Connect with Rex on LinkedIn.