NM has two operations -- its chain of stores and its catalog
operation, which does the Christmas catalog.  A friend is developing a
product she would like to present to the appropriate people at the
store chain's HQ and to the catalog people.  She needs to know the
following:

1. Who (specifically) to approach at each organization for a meeting
and through what means?
2. When presenting the product to them, what information do they
require?  What is the format they prefer?
3. What time frame is best for her to present the info?

You may send your portfolio and product information to the buying
office. Please address this to Neiman Marcus Catalog, attn: buying
office 5950 Colwell Blvd, Irving, Texas 75039. Plus, the telephone
number is 972-969-3100. They will respond to your portfolio in a
timely manner.

thirdeyebrian is correct - you get a freebie today!  Here is the email
I received from Neiman Marcus in response to your question which
confirms Brian's response:

Thank you for contacting Neiman Marcus Online.

In order to be considered by our buyers, you may send 
product and all related information to:

Neiman Marcus Direct
attn:  Buying Offices
5950 Colwell Blvd
Irving, Texas  75039

If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.  

Neiman Marcus Online
ecare@ecare.neimanmarcus.com
1-888-888-4757

Thank you BOTH for this kind guidance; that is above and beyond fer
shure!  I appreciate the trouble you've gone to. Hope I can "play it
forward" to others in the future!

I don't know what kind of a product your friend is intending to sell
but, from past experience, I recommend that she also be prepared to
present her product to 'lesser lights' than Nieman Marcus as well. 
She will be facing an enormous amount of competition. so the product
must 'grab' the buyer's attention.  Not only that, but she must be
prepared to answer every production/market question they will have.

There was a great 2 page article on this topic in the October 2002
"Business 2.0" entitled "The World's Largest Focus Group" about
peddling your product to WalMart.  It even offered a sidebar of tips
called "How to Pitch a Behemoth".

The article was about WalMart but the advice is pretty much the same
for any of the big boys...and even the smaller ones.  Information to
be presented includes (I'm copying from the tips list) financial
history, comptetition's products, your promotional budget, sales
projections, safety-testing results, an evaluation of how your product
will affect sales of other products sold by the retailer.  Whew!

By the way, the article is online at 
< http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,43502,00.html?ref=bonus
>

Good luck!