Associations that understand - and work to impact - the legislative and regulatory arenas deliver great rewards to their membership. On the other hand, those that ignore government relations miss opportunities and are often left behind by policy makers and more active stakeholders. SmithBucklin provides client organizations integrated, industry-leading, association-savvy government relations services when you need them, without requiring retainers and minimums. Having maintained offices in Washington, D.C., since 1967 SmithBucklin professionals have a strong, established presence in the public policy arena.

We take a tailored approach to the business of association-focused government relations, ensuring that each program leverages the advocacy assets of the client and drives all advocacy activities toward real outcomes. Our professionals are particularly skilled at developing and managing grassroots advocacy efforts, engaging the volunteer capabilities of the client membership and providing the necessary tools to create active participation. We also possess strong relationships with the White House, major government departments, agencies, and commissions, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. We regularly conduct business before the major congressional committees, including the appropriations, tax-writing, commerce, health, environment, and education committees.

Our tailored approaches to client needs often draw upon the following service areas:

Monitoring and Reporting
Compliance Counseling and Professional Development
Education and Awareness
Issues and Outcomes

SmithBucklin's Government Relations services unit is divided into two practice groups: Public Policy and Health Care.

The Public Policy Practice Group supports the needs of our business trade and technology clients in industry sectors ranging from aerospace, telecommunications and e-commerce to public/private finance and specialty manufacturing and services. The Group represents the interests of organizations before various federal agencies, including the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Labor, and numerous Congressional committees, including appropriations, agriculture, commerce, education, workplace safety, veterans affairs and small business.

Some of the Public Policy Practice Group's clients include:

• ARMA International
• Check Payment Systems Association
• Child Care Consortium, Inc.
• Ellipso, Inc.
• International Carwash Association
• International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
• National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies
• National Child Care Association
• National Organization for Competency Assurance
• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
• Virtual Geosatellite, LLC
• Wallcovering Association

Some of the Health Care Practice Group's clients include:

• American Society of Hand Therapists
• American Urogynecologic Society
• National Association of Healthcare Access Management
• National Vision Rehabilitation Cooperative
• Society of Gynecologic Oncologists

Each government relations program we manage is designed to support our clients' overall goals and strategies. Because we are sensitive to the integral role that government relations can play for associations, we work with each client to prioritize its objectives, assess existing resources and capabilities, and allocate personnel and resources to best maximize outcomes while holding to budget requirements. We also establish a communications program for each client to allow for regular and timely reporting, often including both monthly documentation detailing activities and achievements, and regularly scheduled conference calls. Action alerts and other as-needed updates are also employed. We design a program that leverages the client's potential and effectively employs our experience and capabilities.

SmithBucklin's Government Relations services include:

Monitoring and Reporting
We believe that ongoing monitoring of developments in the public policy arena is essential to an effective and proactive government relations program. SmithBucklin's monitoring efforts include searches on specific databases to identify developments in targeted fields and sectors, coverage of specific issues in the general or trade media, or pending congressional and agency actions. Monitoring may also cover federal agency and congressional Web sites, reviewing the Federal Register and Congressional Record, and phone calls or visits with contacts in government, industry and stakeholder organizations. The same level of monitoring is available on the state level.

If required, SmithBucklin will provide rapid-response reports on developments, including synopses of congressional hearings or debates, notices of proposed rulemaking and newly introduced legislation, as well as vote counts on markup and floor activity. Our monitoring reports can also be delivered ready for posting on the client's Web site with hyperlinks to primary documentation. We ensure that our clients are immediately aware of developments that impact their membership and industry sectors, and our efforts can help provide the basis for an active and engaged membership.

Compliance Counseling and Professional Development
SmithBucklin offers professional development and education programs to industry personnel tasked with compliance responsibilities. Such efforts often focus on specific statutory and regulatory regimes applicable to a client or industry sector. Activities may include analyzing and summarizing legislation, newly enacted laws, proposed regulations, or newly promulgated regulations. This work also provides a strong base for responding to proposed rulemakings with written comments and verbal presentations to agency officials. We are experienced at organizing compliance seminars that include presentations from government agency officials and private consultants. We can also marshal the necessary expertise to develop compliance manuals developed for a membership's regulatory and compliance officers. SmithBucklin ensures that our clients not only know what new developments have taken place, but that they also understand how those developments will impact their bottom line.

Education and Awareness
Positioning an industry sector to effectively influence public policy requires educating policy makers and creating a presence in the appropriate legislative and regulatory arenas. Education and awareness efforts guided by SmithBucklin include developing and delivering messages that enhance our clients' positions on key issues. These efforts also include a strong presence-building function, and may include organizing and scripting "fly-in" or "lobby" days for client leadership teams or general membership in order to facilitate face-to-face contact with elected and appointed officials. We also organize and script tailored educational briefings to engage and strengthen the knowledge base of government officials on issues of importance to our clients. In the competitive field of public policy, we create a client presence that policy makers will engage.

Issues and Outcomes
Achieving specific outcomes in statutory and regulatory regimes requires effective message development and the delivery and marshaling of all available assets, often via constituency-based grassroots advocacy. SmithBucklin works with each client to develop a clear, convincing public policy position and a strong advocacy strategy to achieve the desired legislative or regulatory outcome. Within the context of the legislative process, we match a tailored message with the political means to secure necessary support and reach desired outcomes. Within the context of the regulatory process, we match administrative procedures with policy arguments and technical information, along with appropriate political support, which compel agencies to arrive at favorable decisions. Our work in issues advocacy can also include involvement in the appropriations and grants processes. SmithBucklin's advocacy efforts employ a passion and commitment to our clients' issues. We are driven to create "wins" for our clients in the legislative and regulatory arenas.

Please contact us to learn how our full-service management capabilities can benefit your organization.