Membership FAQ’s

In order to clarify some key issues related to DCAT membership, we have compiled these questions and answers. If you have additional questions regarding membership, please contact the DCAT office at 1-800-640-3228 or 1-609-448-1000 and a staff member will be happy to assist you.

Recently the DCAT organization announced changes in the membership policy and dues. To view the letter sent to current members and the policy, click here.

Who is DCAT and what is the overall objective of the association?
Who is a registered DCAT member? Who holds DCAT membership?
Who is included in a registered member's listing in the DCAT directory?
Why is one employee the Designated Contact and what is that person’s role?
Who are the Alternate Contacts and what is their role?
Why do we ask for a Human Resources Department Contact from your company?
What is the impact of a corporate merger or acquisition upon a company's
      membership status?
Can an individual hold DCAT membership?
What is the fiscal year of the DCAT organization?
How are dues determined for my company?
What is DCAT’s membership dues renewal policy?
What is DCAT's corporate tax status with the IRS?

Who is DCAT and what is the overall objective of the association?

The Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association, Inc. founded in 1890, is an association of member companies who manufacture, distribute or provide services to the pharmaceutical, chemical, and associated industries. The association provides services, programs and activities designed to support the business development objectives of its membership. As an association of widely diverse members, DCAT recognizes the potential for conflicts between the interests of its member companies. Therefore, DCAT does not engage in any lobbying or other activities that seek to influence policy making or regulatory issues impacting its member companies. However, DCAT membership is one of the most essential connections by which persons can appropriately network and participate in programs, events, committee and leadership activities with colleagues in the industry.

Who is a registered DCAT member? Who holds DCAT membership?

The company paying the annual fee is the registered DCAT member.

In order to give our membership the utmost flexibility, we allow companies to determine which type of membership allows them the best exposure with potential customers, clients, and business partners while ensuring brand identity and efficiency.

To understand this, it is important to know that each membership comes with two types of benefits: Registered Member Company Benefits and Employee Benefits. 

• Registered Member Company Benefits (i.e. brand-specific benefits such as sponsorships, suites and annual dinner tables) exist only in the name of the company holding the membership. Such benefits are non-transferable to affiliates (i.e. subsidiaries, divisions, sister companies, wholly-owned entities) or the parent company associated with the registered member company.
• Employee Benefits (such as member rates to DCAT events) are available to all employees of the registered member company and its affiliates.
• Memberships can thus be established at the corporate (parent company) level, at the individual affiliate level, or both, to allow each corporate entity to promote its brand within DCAT.

Specific benefits of membership are listed below:
 
Registered Member Company Benefits
Each registered member company may:

1. hold a suite or suites in DCAT’s room block at an Official DCAT Week Hotel under the registered member’s name; no signage of affiliates will be permitted
2. hold a table or tables at the DCAT Annual Dinner under the registered member’s name
3. receive a full listing in all print and electronic member directories, including mobile applications.
4. receive valuable recognition through member-only sponsorship opportunities and advertising
5. post job listings to the DCAT Industry Job Center site
6. nominate employees of the registered member to participate in DCAT leadership (Program Management Council, Board of Directors, or chair of task forces)

Employee Benefits

Employees of each registered member company and its affiliates: 

1. participate in any programs and events at the member rate
2. participate in DCAT volunteer committees
3. participate in DCAT social networking sites
4. receive electronic notifications of special programs and events
5. receive free yearly subscriptions to selected industry publications

Please note that affiliates or parents of the registered member company are NOT eligible for either the member benefits or employee benefits listed above, unless such affiliate or parent holds its own membership.
 
A registered member company that wants employees at its affiliates to receive the employee benefits listed above must LIST those affiliates and provide any required information on the membership application or renewal application at the time the dues are paid.
 
Some questions you may ask:

• My company is a division of a DCAT registered member company, can my company purchase a table at the DCAT Annual Dinner?

         The benefit of holding a table at this annual event can only be held by a registered
         member company.

• I am employed at a subsidiary of a DCAT registered member who is our parent company. Can I attend a DCAT sponsored education program at the member rate?

         As long as your parent company lists your affiliates name at the time the dues are paid on
         the new member application or the renewal application, you may register to attend
         programs at the member rate.

• I am employed at a subsidiary of a large corporation. Our subsidiary is the DCAT registered member company. Can colleagues who work directly for our parent company pay the member rate at DCAT sponsored education programs or hold a suite at the Waldorf during DCAT Week?

         No. Membership benefits do not extend upwards from a subsidiary that is the registered
         member or any other affiliate of a parent.

Who is included in a member's listing in the DCAT directory?

The directory will list one (1) Designated Contact and five (5) Alternate Contacts from the registered member company. A parent company member having divisions and subsidiaries involved in the pharmaceutical, chemical, or associated industries who wishes to have these affiliates recognized with their membership must list the information on the membership application or renewal application at the time the dues fee is paid. By doing so, employees of those affiliates are entitled to enjoy the employee benefits listed above.

The Human Resources Department contact and administrative/office personnel will not be listed in the directory. 


Why is one employee the Designated Contact and what is that person’s role?
As an industry expert, the Designated Contact 

• holds the official vote/representation for the registered member company for any issues regarding DCAT and its governance.
• is responsible to disseminate all organizational information to interested employees.
• keeps the organization advised of company status and changes in employee contacts.

 
Who are the Alternate Contacts and what is their role?

To ensure that individuals from your company are aware of all programs, events and other organizational information, Alternate Contacts receive DCAT information and assist in disseminating it throughout the company.

When other members are looking to your company for products and services, they will contact the Alternate Contacts you have listed in the directory.

Please Note: Although Designated and Alternate Contacts may be selected from any department or location within a registered member company, it is not appropriate for administrative assistants or other support personnel to be selected as a member's Designated Contact or Alternate Contacts. There is a separate section of the Membership Data Update Form to list administrative and support personnel so they may receive pertinent DCAT information. 
 

Why do we ask for a Human Resources Department Contact from your company?

As a member company, you are entitled to submit open positions for DCAT’s Industry Job Center employment listing service on the DCAT website.  Having a contact from your Human Resources Department will help DCAT validate submissions.

What is the impact of a corporate merger or acquisition upon a company's membership status?
Should this situation arise between registered member companies, the Designated Contacts from each company should: 

• mutually select one Designated Contact and up to five Alternate Contacts for organizational records, DCAT Week attendance, Annual Dinner tables and/or suites, and notify the DCAT office.

If a non-member company acquires a registered member company:

• membership benefits will be extended to the acquiring company through the end of the current billing cycle; however, it is the responsibility of the acquiring company to contact the DCAT office with the names of their Designated and Alternate Contacts.
• the acquiring company will assume control of any tables/suites that the member company has established at DCAT Week or the DCAT Dinner.
• at the beginning of the next billing cycle after the acquisition occurs, the dues level of the acquiring company will be adjusted to reflect the size of the new company.

Can an individual hold DCAT membership?
No. DCAT membership is on the corporate level. We do however have a “retired member” category.  These members may join for a nominal fee.  However, they must be retired from a DCAT member company and must no longer participate and or/consult in any industry-related business.

What is the fiscal year of the DCAT organization?

DCAT’s fiscal year begins on November 1st and closes on October 31st of the following year.

How are dues determined for my company?

Registered member companies are billed for dues based upon the number of global, full-time employees, regardless of their function within the company.

Affiliates of a registered member company having specific business/products within the pharmaceutical, chemical, or associated industries may choose to have its own DCAT membership separate from that of the parent company. The affiliate would pay dues based on the number of global, full-time entity employees, regardless of their function within the company.

 
What is DCAT’s membership dues renewal policy?

On or about August 1st of each year, the Designated Contact of each registered member company will receive an email with a specific user name and password to access DCAT's private site to pay their dues and update the contact information on file. These updates are reflected in DCAT's database and are included in the annual Membership Directory.

DCAT membership fees must be paid prior to November 1, the start of DCAT’s fiscal year. Companies failing to pay their dues prior to that date will be considered a “suspended member.”

Any dues renewals paid after the fiscal year begins must include a 10% reinstatement fee as follows:

Members who have not paid their membership dues by October 31, 2011, but have paid a reinstatement fee at some time prior to October 31, 2012, may retain their original “member since” designation. Membership dues shall neither be prorated nor refunded.

What is DCAT's corporate tax status with the IRS?

DCAT is registered with the IRS as a 501(c) 6 not-for-profit organization. Dues or other contributions are not deductible as charitable gifts, but may be deductible as a business expense.

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