ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE DEFENSE
INDUSTRY OFFSET ASSOCIATION (DIOA)
Amended
and approved on 1 May 2014
To further common purposes, the member
companies, which are U.S. defense companies
engaged in the sale of defense equipment
and defense-related services and which
are directly involved in offset agreements
with foreign countries, hereby agree
to participate in the Defense Industry
Offset Association (the
"Association") under these
Amended Articles of Association.
ARTICLE
I - PURPOSES
- The purposes of the Association
shall be:
(a). To promote trade and commerce
between U.S. defense equipment and
service contractors and their customers
in foreign countries with offset requirements;
(b). To improve the professionalism
of offset executives of member companies
by providing a forum for developing
increased awareness of foreign offset
requirements and for discussing techniques
for the successful handling of those
requirements; and
(c). Generally, to do anything necessary
and proper for the advancement of the
U.S. defense equipment and service
industry in connection with foreign
offset requirements, or for any other
purposes proper and lawful for an association.
- Nothing, however, in these Articles
shall authorize the Association to
engage in any business for pecuniary
profit. The Association is organized
and shall be operated for non-profit
purposes only, and no part of any net
earnings shall inure to the benefit
of any member.
ARTICLE II
- POWERS
+
GO TO TOP
- In furtherance of its purposes,
the Association shall have the power
to call and hold meetings; to collect
and disseminate information; to assess
meeting, training, publications and
services costs; and to conduct such
other activities as are lawful and
necessary to accomplish and fund its
purposes.
ARTICLE III
- MEMBERSHIP
+
GO TO TOP
- (a) Any entity organized or chartered
under the laws of the United States
and having its principal place of business
in the United States, that is significantly
engaged as a direct contractor in the
sale of defense equipment or defense-related
services, except offset/countertrade
services, wherein such equipment is
manufactured in or services originate
substantially from the U.S., and that
is a party as a prime contractor to
offset agreements established directly
with foreign governments is eligible
to apply for membership in the Association,
provided, however, that (i) an entity
which is owned or controlled by a foreign
government shall not be so eligible,
and (ii) an entity that is controlled
by, under common control with, or controls
another member shall not be so eligible.
For these purposes, control shall mean
either equity ownership of at least
50% or the power to elect a majority
of the board of directors.
(b). U.S. subsidiaries of foreign entities
may be eligible for membership provided
that they meet the membership qualifications
listed herein.
(c). Applications for membership must
be approved by a majority vote of the
Executive Committee, which shall be
the sole judge of the qualifications
of the applicant and whether inclusion
of the applicant in the Association's
membership would be consistent with
commonality of member interests and
the Association's ability effectively
to accomplish its purposes. Membership
decisions of the Executive Committee
shall be final.
(d). First-tier subcontractors of DIOA
member companies, which are indirectly
involved in offset agreements with
foreign countries, are eligible to
attend DIOA meetings under an "Associate" status.
Associates and their representatives
must meet all other conditions that
apply to DIOA membership. Associates
shall not have voting rights and shall
not be eligible to serve on the Executive
Committee or as chairperson of any
DIOA committee.
(e). Associates must be sponsored by
an existing DIOA member company in
good standing. The term of Associate
status will be for a maximum period
of two years from the date of approval
by the Executive Committee of the Associate’s
application. An Associate may be sponsored
for subsequent two-year terms by following
the original procedure and approval
process. A DIOA member may sponsor
a maximum of five associates at any
given time.
- Each company approved for membership
shall designate an individual who will
represent such member at meetings of
the Association and have one vote.
Such representative shall be engaged
substantially in handling the offset
obligations of the member, and shall
not be engaged in providing offset
services for companies unaffiliated
with the member. The Executive Committee,
by a two-thirds vote of those Executive
Committee members present at a duly
called meeting, may for good cause
disapprove a member's designation of
a particular representative,
- All members shall have equal voting
and other privileges.
- Any member may withdraw from the
Association by giving written notice
of its resignation to the Secretary/Treasurer.
- For good cause and in the interests
of the Association, the Executive Committee
may terminate the membership of any
company by a two-thirds vote of the
full Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV – PARTICIPATION
OF INDIVIDUALS
+
GO TO TOP
- An “individual” is defined, for the purpose of this Article, as a person that is employed by and reports directly to a U.S.-based Member Company even though that employee may be located/stationed at a facility outside of the United States of America and whose offset responsibilities are in support of the Member Company’s U.S.-originated offset obligations.
- Individuals of good standing within the Association are allowed to attend Association meetings, conferences and training seminars; participate on committees as defined in Article VII; and access the Association’s proprietary section of its website.
- Any individual who does not meet the criteria in Article IV-1 who requests any privileges in Article IV-2 must have the designated primary contact of their member company request approval of the Executive Committee. The approval of the privileges will last two years.
- An individual does not have Association voting rights. Voting rights are reserved for the Member Company who may designate an individual to cast votes on its behalf.
ARTICLE
V - FINANCES
+ GO TO TOP
- Except as the Association's members
may decide by majority vote, management
and control of the finances of the
Association shall rest with the Executive
Committee.
- To defray the expenses of the Association
and to permit it to carry out its purposes,
attendees from member companies will
be assessed meeting fees. Costs for
training, publications and special
services may also be assessed, as dictated
by need and circumstance.
ARTICLE
VI - MEETINGS
+ GO TO TOP
- Unless otherwise called by the Executive Committee, the Association shall hold at least one meeting annually. Meetings shall be open to all members, and notices shall be sent to each member at least thirty (30) days in advance.
- A majority of all members of the Association present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum.
- Each member may be represented at Association meetings by the individual designated pursuant to Article III.2 above. Members may have additional employees or designated persons from their U.S. operations attend meetings, provided that such designated persons shall not be engaged in providing offset services to companies unaffiliated with the member.
ARTICLE
VII - COMMITTEES
+ GO TO TOP
- (a). The Association shall have
an Executive Committee of seven persons,
each of whom shall be a designated
representative or an employee of an
Association member in good standing.
(b). Election to the Executive Committee
shall be by majority vote of Association
members present at the annual meeting.
The Executive Committee shall select
from its members its Chairperson, who
shall serve as the Association's President;
a Vice President, who shall act for
the President when so assigned by the
President or in case of the inability
of the President to perform; and a
Secretary/Treasurer, who shall handle
the Association's correspondence and
financial affairs.
(c). Members of the Executive Committee
shall serve for staggered three-year
terms. At each annual meeting of the
Association, elections shall be held
to fill upcoming vacancies on the Executive
Committee. All Executive Committee
members shall begin service effective
with the end of the annual meeting
at which they are elected.
(d). Membership on the Executive Committee
shall be limited to one individual
per corporate family. If during the
term of an Executive Committee member
the member's company is merged or consolidated
and such merger or consolidation results
in there being two employees of the
newly-formed corporate family on the
Executive Committee, or if an Executive
Committee member changes employers
during his/her term of service, resulting
in there being two members of the Executive
Committee from the same corporate family,
the company shall decide who will remain in their position to serve out their full term. The other person will serve until the next general meeting, then an election be held to vote in a replacement to serve out the remainder of their original term. In terms of election procedures, the top vote recipients are elected to full terms. The one who receives the next highest amount of votes will be elected to the partial term.
(e). If an Executive Committee member
changes employers to another member
company during his/her term of service,
and if the break in employment does
not exceed 30 days, the member may
finish his/her term as elected unless the member company is already represented on the Executive Committee. In that case, refer to Article VII.1.d.
(f). If an Executive Committee member
shall resign from the Committee, his
or her office shall be filled by vote
of the Executive Committee and the
new member shall serve the balance
of the unexpired term.
- The Executive Committee, at its
discretion, may use the DIOA Roundtable
as a resource. The DIOA Roundtable
shall consist of past Chairpersons
of the Executive Committee and shall
be available to provide continuity
and assistance in long-term planning
and other similar functions for the
Executive Committee.
- The Executive Committee, by majority
vote of those Executive Committee members
present at a duly called meeting, shall
supervise and control the affairs of
the Association.
- The Executive Committee, by majority
vote of those Executive Committee members
present at a duly called meeting, may
designate additional committees of
the Association and may appoint their
members.
- A majority of all members of the
Executive Committee shall constitute
a quorum. Members of the Executive
Committee may participate in Executive
Committee meetings by means of telecommunications
that enable the members to hear each
other.
- Meetings of the Executive Committee
may be called by the Chairperson or
by any two members of the Executive
Committee. Notice of Executive Committee
meetings shall be given to all Executive
Committee members not less than 24
hours in advance of the meeting; provided,
however, that notice may be waived
before or after the meeting.
-
The Executive Committee at its discretion may request formation of various committees with the intent to contribute to the greater good of the Association. These committees may include but are not limited to Membership, Education, Government Issues and Website. Individuals from Member Companies per Article IV are eligible to be a committee chairman by appointment of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE
VIII - EMERITUS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS
+ GO TO TOP
- The Executive Committee may, from
time to time at its sole discretion,
approve Emeritus members - certain
individuals who have been members in
good standing and who are no longer
eligible to attend meetings or represent
member companies under Articles III
and V.
- The Executive Committee may consider
for Emeritus membership those individuals
who would provide an exceptional service
to the Association because of their
experience and expertise.
- Emeritus members shall be entitled
to attend all meetings held under Article
V.1.
- Emeritus members shall not have
voting membership.
- Emeritus members shall, as a condition
of their appointment, be required to
sign a certificate in such form as
the Executive Committee may require.
The certificate shall, as a minimum,
require that the Emeritus member (1)
abide by the Articles of Association
and such rules as may from time to
time be adopted by the Executive Committee,
and (2) refrain from soliciting business
at Association meetings or functions.
ARTICLE
IX - AMENDMENTS
+
GO TO TOP
- These Articles may be amended or
repealed by a majority vote of the
members present at any duly organized
meeting of the Association.
APPLICATIONS
+ GO TO TOP
|