22.1. Local Staff Requirements

1.  The PCO provides locally engaged staff who are already trained in carrying out the necessary tasks for the Annual Meeting, including the training, briefing and registration of the local staff.
   The host country provides locally engaged staff to assist the Host Country Secretariat in providing meeting services both inside and outside of the Annual Meeting venue. Outside of the meeting venue, support is required for airport reception, transport of participants (i.e., transport coordinators, drivers, liaison officers (if any) and traffic control), and security. Inside of the meeting venue, personnel are needed in all public spaces, some offices, and meeting rooms as receptionists, ushers, technicians, janitors, and security. The host country may also provide liaison officers to each head of delegation and other VIPs.
2. Coordination.  Effective management of the locally engaged staff is of great importance to the annual meeting as it is these staff that become the local ‘faces’ of the ADB brand. The role of Local Staff Coordinator is one that requires experience in logistically complex operations, superior levels of communication and expertise in stakeholder management. The host country appoints one person to be in charge of all locally engaged staff. This Local Staff Coordinator oversees the selection of locally engaged staff, any briefings conducted for them, their registration, as well as resolving any issues that may arise during the Annual Meeting preparation and implementation period. If considered desirable, the ADB Annual Meeting Coordinator and other members of the ADB Secretariat may assist in briefing the locally engaged staff.
3. Number. The number of locally engaged staff members supporting the Host Country Secretariat varies; it may be a few hundred or over 1,000. If one or more PCOs is involved in making the arrangements for the meeting, the PCO provides locally engaged staff who are already trained in carrying out the necessary tasks for the Annual Meeting, including the training, briefing and registration of the local staff.
4. Expertise. Locally engaged staff seconded to work with the Host Country Secretariat should have the necessary expertise in their assigned positions and be able to communicate in English as much as possible. They must present a professional attitude, highlighted by an understanding of protocol procedures and rules applicable to dealing with international persons of high rank and stature. They must display a high level of personal presentation. They should be friendly, courteous, confident, and be able to cope with pressure.
5.   The host country must set up a separate registration system for locally engaged staff, together with a system for giving them access to the venue.
   The IDs for locally engaged staff should have a photograph and some means of preventing easy duplication, such as a hologram.
   Attire. Locally engaged staff should wear attire that befits the occasion. The host country may wish to provide them with uniforms so that they can be easily identified as staff by the participants. Some groups, such as security, may already have uniforms, in which case a special uniform for the Annual Meeting is not needed. It is recommended that for all delegate facing roles, a uniform is provided to locally engaged staff by the host country. Most staff will require more than one uniform based on the duration of the annual meeting.
6. Working Hours. Locally engaged staff should be prepared to dedicate their time solely to working in their assigned areas. They should be employed for the duration of the meeting (not on a daily basis) and may be required to work extended hours at short notice. The host country budget for locally engaged staff should include expenses for overtime, taking into account the labor laws of the host country, and for food and drinks, especially when they work overtime.
7. Food. A suitable system is required to provide food and drinks for locally engaged staff since they will not have time to leave the venue to buy food, and food is often expensive inside the venue. Arrangements may be made for packed lunches to be provided by the host country for locally engaged staff, with additional meals for those working overtime. Alternatively, staff may be provided with vouchers to exchange for lunch in one of the food outlets at the meeting venue, and additional vouchers may be provided for those working overtime. The latter option is possible only if there is a food outlet onsite that can cope with preparing the required number of meals at the right time and without affecting the service provided to the Annual Meeting participants.
8. Registration. The host country must set up a separate registration system for locally engaged staff, together with a system for giving them access to the venue, which should not be through the same doors as the other participants, who will have Annual Meeting registration badges. The IDs for locally engaged staff should have a photograph and some means of preventing easy duplication, such as a hologram. A separate access to the venue needs to be identified, and appropriate security checks must be set up at this point.
9. Back-up. Back-up staff are required to cover any emergency situation such as absenteeism, tardiness or strike.  The agreements with service providers should include a penalty for no-show staff during the Annual Meeting. It is recommended that an “A” and a “B” list of staff be prepared to ensure that when required, there is an easily accessible database of suitably qualified alternatives.
10. Infrastructure. Based on the sheer number of locally engaged staff required for the meeting, it is recommended to have a dedicated space or room for the support staff - within walking distance of the annual meeting venue - where they may leave their personal belongings, partake in daily briefings, take breaks or eat their own food.