MCAA Manufacturer / Supplier Membership Governance and Compliance Guide

Effective April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027
This document supersedes all previous versions.
Download the guide

I. MEMBERSHIP

A. MCAA Manufacturer / Supplier (M/S) members are full members of MCAA.

Manufacturer / Supplier Membership provides companies that support the mechanical contracting industry with direct access to MCAA programs, education, and engagement opportunities as members of the association.

Manufacturer / Supplier Membership includes two tiers:

• M/S Membership
  Companies seeking full membership in MCAA with access to education, programs, publications, and year-round engagement opportunities. This membership tier does not include eligibility to attend, exhibit, or sponsor the MCAA Annual Convention.
• M/S Membership with Council Participant designation
  Council Participation represents an advanced level of involvement and is earned and maintained based on demonstrated participation over time through engagement, leadership and commitment to MCAA. Council participation allows the M/S member to participate in the MCAA Annual Convention.

As full members of MCAA, M/SC members must conform to all MCAA policies of anti-trust, code of conduct and bylaws. In addition, M/SC members can access the same resources and educational events that are open to other MCAA members. This includes https://www.mcaa.org/, where they can view and download hundreds of educational resources, and the WebLEM online labor estimating tool.

When M/SC members attend an MCAA hosted event, they have full access to any seminar, session, exhibit or meeting that is open to the general membership. Their name badges are identical to those worn by other MCAA members.

Here are the guidelines regarding the usage of MCAA resources and benefits of membership. As valued members of the MCAA Manufacturer Supplier Council, we appreciate your dedication to upholding the principles of our association.

It is important to note that MCAA resources, including but not limited to information, documents, videos, safety materials, WebLEM and other proprietary materials, are intended for internal use within your respective companies. These resources should not be shared, disseminated, or utilized for any purposes outside your organization or on behalf of your customers without obtaining prior written permission from the MCAA. Doing so will result in immediate removal from the MCAA M/SC and possible legal action.

We understand the value and significance of the benefits provided by MCAA membership, and we strive to maintain fairness and respect for the association and its members. By adhering to this policy, we ensure that all M/SC members have equal opportunities to leverage the resources available to them.

If you have any questions regarding the usage of MCAA resources or the extent of their applicability, we encourage you to reach out to us for clarification. Our aim is to foster an environment of open communication and mutual understanding.

B. Code of Conduct

MCAA is committed to ensuring that MCAA-sponsored meetings and events are conducted with professional decorum for all participants. MCAA requires adherence to a proper professional business behavioral code of conduct and personal decorum customary for professional business events for all program registrants, participants, MCAA staff, and other attendees at MCAA meetings and events. Adherence to this behavioral code will foster a welcoming environment that is safe, collaborative, and productive for all attendees and participants. Any unprofessional, unbecoming, or rude behavior relating to interpersonal conduct, intoxication, sexual harassment, or other behavioral malfeasance of any kind will not be tolerated.

MCAA principals with responsibility for the event on-site who observe or reasonably become aware of such offending behavior by any event registrant, speaker, volunteer, MCAA staff, participant, or their guests, hereby reserve the unconditional right to take action to address the problem up to and including revoking any offending person’s registration or participation without further notice or cause determination and requiring that individual to leave the event immediately. Removal from an MCAA meeting or event for violation of this code will result in the inability of the violator to attend MCAA meetings and events for a minimum of one year.

At the end of the one-year period, the person unable to attend MCAA meetings and events may petition MCAA for reinstatement. MCAA’s decision to allow reinstatement or not will be final. Any future violations of the MCAA Notice of Behavioral Code will result in a permanent ban from all MCAA meetings and events.

(Disclaimer – MCAA does not accept any responsibility for describing or enforcing any personal behavioral standards at any off-site events or informal gatherings held in conjunction with the MCAA event by others that are not sponsored by MCAA.)

C. MCAA’s Bylaws State in Membership Section 6: Manufacturer / Supplier

Manufacturer / Supplier Members shall be: corporations, firms and individuals who provide products and/or services to the mechanical contracting industry; who meet such other terms and conditions as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors; and who are
not eligible for Active or Associate Membership. The Board of Directors shall also determine the rights and responsibilities of Manufacturer / Supplier Members.

D. MCAA’s Manufacturer / Supplier Antitrust Compliance Policy

MCAA is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and compliance with all applicable federal and state antitrust laws. This policy outlines expectations for all participants in the M/S membership to ensure that activities promote lawful, fair, and open competition.

As members of the MCAA M/S and M/S Council participation, all individuals and organizations are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that supports a competitive and non-discriminatory marketplace. This applies to all MCAA meetings, events, communication, and related activities, regardless of the format (in-person, virtual, or electronic).

Strict compliance with antitrust laws is required. Members must avoid any actions, discussions, or agreements, whether formal or informal, that could be perceived as limiting competition or excluding companies from market participation. Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to:

Anti-Competitive Conduct

• Discussing or agreeing on pricing, pricing strategies, discounts, or terms of sale
• Coordinating bids or agreeing to refrain from bidding
• Allocating markets, territories, customers, or product lines
• Limiting production or supply for the purpose of restricting competition
• Exchanging competitively sensitive information that could influence independent business decisions

Exclusionary Conduct

• Proposing, encouraging, or agreeing to exclude, boycott, or disadvantage any company based on its participation in the market or competitive activities
• Using MCAA or the Manufacturer / Supplier membership as a forum to restrict access to products, projects, customers, or opportunities
• Engaging in any action intended to harm or exclude a competitor from fair participation in the industry or MCAA events

Enforcement and Consequences
Violations of this policy may result in:

• Immediate removal from Manufacturer / Supplier activities
• Disciplinary action by MCAA, up to and including revocation of membership or participation privileges
• Legal consequences under federal and state antitrust laws, which may include civil or criminal penalties

Responsibility for Compliance
It is the responsibility of every Manufacturer / Supplier participant to:

• Understand and comply with this policy
• Immediately discontinue any conversation or activity that may raise antitrust concerns
• Report any suspected violations to MCAA leadership

MCAA staff and leadership are available to address any questions regarding this policy or its application.

E. Dismissal from the Manufacturer / Supplier Council

Manufacturer / Supplier membership is a privilege, not a right, and can be revoked if a company is in violation of the terms and etiquette of the Manufacturer / Supplier Policies, Procedures and Regulations.

Additional M/S Council Participation Disqualification Criteria
Companies may be disqualified from M/S Council Membership under the following circumstances:

• Outstanding unpaid invoices at the time of evaluation
• Failure to attend the MCAA Annual Convention for two consecutive years

II. MEMBERSHIP TERM, NAME AND MARKS

A. Fiscal Year

Manufacturer / Supplier Council members pay annual dues for a fixed fiscal year running from April 1 to March 31. A membership is not considered active until dues are fully paid.

B. Organization Name: Organizations will be identified by their corporate names. Individual brand or product names are not permitted.

Manufacturer / Supplier Council memberships are in the corporate name of a business entity (including LLC, partnerships, etc.), not products. A company that is a subsidiary of a larger entity may join if it has a corporate tax ID in the company’s name. If it does not, it is not eligible for membership.

C. Corporate Brand Communication

Organizations wishing to communicate specific brands associated with their corporation may list or demonstrate these brands during exhibit periods. They are also welcome to promote these brands through vehicles such as MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show, Manufacturer / Supplier Training area and Smart Solutions.
MCAA does not tolerate aggressive marketing or the sending of mass emails. This behavior may result in dismissal from the Council.

III. DUES

MCAA’s Board of Directors sets Manufacturer / Supplier dues annually. The Board reserves the right to create different dues classifications for different classifications of Manufacturer / Supplier members.

A. Dues are for the fiscal year April 1 to March 31. Dues amounts will be provided on your annual renewal and invoice each February and will not be prorated, nor are they refundable.

B. Renewal memberships are provided with a dues invoice that is emailed to the “invoice contact”. Primary contacts receive a copy of this invoice to expedite payment.

IV. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS

A. Membership Renewal Form

Existing members update their company and contact information on a Manufacturer / Supplier Renewal Application online when they pay the annual dues. This helps ensure that MCAA has current contacts for things such as, invoicing, directory listings, sales, and exhibit and advertising/PR.

Companies are encouraged to update this information during the year if there are any changes. If MCAA staff learn of changes, we may reach out to confirm/clarify.

B. Membership Application – New Members

New M/S members complete a membership application, along with an application fee, that is reviewed and approved by MCAA. The M/S company must meet the criteria in the MCAA Bylaws (Section I.B).

In addition to company contact information and billing information the application requests the names of:

• Directory Key Contacts: Three (3) sales and executive level representatives will be listed in the directory. We recommend that the key contact be the sales executive that MCAA members contact for information.
• Exhibit Contact: The administrative representative who will handle processing the details for exhibits at any MCAA/MSCA program.
• Advertising/PR Contact: The person responsible for handling things like the company’s Smart Solutions submissions and Virtual Trade Show and Manufacturer / Supplier Training listings. This may be someone at an outside agency.
• Invoice Contact: This is the billing and payment representative. If they are in a separate location from the primary contact, please include that information.

C. Use of Logo

M/S members are encouraged to use the MCAA Manufacturer / Supplier logo. M/S members are welcome to use event logos for events at which they are an exhibitor or sponsor. Use of the MCAA corporate logo, and the logos of MSCA, PCA, NCPWB, and JRGF, is permitted on a case-by-case basis.

V. MANUFACTURER / SUPPLIER MEMBER CAPACITY

M/S membership within MCAA is not capped. Council participation within M/S membership is limited to 120 companies to ensure each member has the opportunity to exhibit at MCAA’s Annual Convention and to maintain a balanced exhibitor-to-contractor ratio.

VI. MCAA EXHIBIT AND REGISTRATION FEES

A. Exhibit Fees

• Exhibit fees vary with each event. The MCAA Prospectus will provide continually updated information within each event.
• Some engagement opportunities, including event exhibits, are capacity-limited and are subject to availability.

B. Registration

• There are no complimentary registrations included in membership dues.
• Each person at the exhibit must be a fully registered attendee.
• There are no “exhibit only” attendees.

VII. EXHIBITOR DATA USE POLICY

MCAA is committed to safeguarding the privacy and data protection of its members and event attendees. This policy establishes guidelines and expectations for all exhibitors, vendors, and their representatives granted access to attendee data from any MCAA event or program.

A. Authorized Use of Attendee Data

Exhibitors are permitted to use attendee contact information provided by MCAA exclusively for:

• Individual, direct, and personalized communications
• Outreach directly related to an attendee’s participation in or expressed interest during an MCAA event
  All communications must be:
• Customized to the individual recipient
• Relevant and targeted based on prior interaction or context

B. Prohibited Uses of Attendee Data

Exhibitors are expressly prohibited from:

• Sending blast emails or generic mass communications
• Utilizing automated outreach that includes templated language or content generated through artificial intelligence without the recipient’s explicit consent
• Sharing, selling, transferring, or distributing attendee data to third-party information brokers or any unauthorized entities

C. Enforcement & Penalties

Infraction | Penalty:

• First Infraction | Written company-wide warning
• Second Infraction | Suspension from exhibiting or participating in any MCAA event for one full year from the violation date
• Third Infraction | Immediate removal from the MCAA Manufacturer / Supplier Council with a mandatory one-year waiting period before reapplying

D. Additional Penalties for Data Distribution to Third Parties

Exhibitors found to have shared attendee data with third-party brokers or unauthorized entities will:

• Be removed from the Manufacturer / Supplier Council for a minimum of one year
• Be prohibited from attending or participating in any MCAA event for two years from the infraction date
• Potentially face legal action against both the individual violator and the exhibiting company for breach of this policy

VIII. MEMBER-TO-MEMBER ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH EXPECTATIONS

Manufacturer / Supplier Members are members of MCAA. Contractors are not leads. They are fellow members of the same association.

MCAA is built on relationships. Contractors consistently tell us they do not respond well to bulk or highly promotional emails tied to MCAA events. Even when those emails are personalized with a name, if they feel mass-produced or sales-driven, they generate complaints.

When complaints are received, it can harm the sender’s reputation within the MCAA community. Over time, reputational damage can affect business relationships. For that reason, MCAA expects outreach related to its events and membership to reflect a professional, peer-to-peer standard.

A. What Works Well in MCAA

Members are most successful when they:

• Follow up personally after meeting someone at an MCAA event
• Reference when and where the interaction occurred
• Reach out directly as the person who will attend the event
• Ask to connect at an event both parties are attending
• Engage through shared customers or mutual MCAA relationships
• Focus on long-term relationship building rather than short-term lead counts

B. Practices That Do Not Work Well in MCAA

The following approaches regularly generate complaints and are strongly discouraged:

• Bulk, sequenced, or automated sales emails-even if personalized
• Broad promotional emails encouraging booth visits or scheduled meetings
• Graphic-heavy marketing emails sent prior to events
• Incentive-based raffles or prize offers tied to meetings or booth traffic
• Cold introductions that suggest no prior relationship
• Outreach from representatives who will not personally attend or engage at the event

C. Review of Outreach

Not all outreach that generates concern is a violation of the Data Use Policy. However, if communications appear inconsistent with the standards described above, MCAA may review the outreach.

This review is intended to help members protect their reputations and succeed within MCAA’s relationship-driven environment. Members will always have the opportunity to provide context or clarification before any enforcement action is finalized.

D. Enforcement Approach

If outreach generates member complaints and appears inconsistent with these standards, MCAA may initiate a review.
The purpose of review is to protect the member experience and prevent reputational harm within the association.

Before any formal action is taken:

• The member will be notified
• The communication in question will be shared
• The member will have the opportunity to provide explanation or clarification
  If no Data Use Policy violation can be substantiated and communication does not materially conflict with these standards, the matter will be closed.
  
  If the outreach is determined to be inconsistent with MCAA membership engagement standards,
  corrective action may be taken under MCAA’s membership policies.

IX. M/S GOVERNING BOARD STRUCTURE & RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Manufacturer / Supplier (M/S) Governing Board (Board)

The Manufacturer / Supplier (M/S) Governing Board represents the interests of MCAA’s
Manufacturer / Supplier Members.

• The Board includes Benefactor, Major, and Supporter level convention sponsors, as well as any Council or M/S members who provide financial support at the Supporter level for other MCAA programs, initiatives, or activities. The dollar value for these sponsorship levels is set by the MCAA Board of Directors and may be adjusted periodically.
• Members providing Benefactor-level financial support may designate two representatives. Members providing Major or Supporter-level financial support may designate one representative.
• Board members designate their representatives and must provide and update their contact
  information with MCAA’s Director of Membership.
• Board members serve annually upon payment of sponsorship fees for a fiscal year that runs from April 1 to March 31.
• If a Board member is unable to serve due to change of employment status or for personal reasons, the company may designate an alternate representative to complete the current year term of service.
• Board members will be in “good standing” with all dues and invoices fully paid at the time of the
  Governing Board meeting (typically in June).
• Board members, that are Council members are expected to attend the annual meeting of the Manufacturer / Supplier Council held in conjunction with the MCAA convention.
• Board members are expected to attend the annual Governing Board meeting. If a Board member is unable to attend, another company representative should attend and may participate fully in all business before the Board.
• Board members are responsible for paying their own expenses.

B. Manufacturer / Supplier (M/S) Executive Council

The M/S Executive Council directs the activities of the Governing Board and serves as a liaison to
MCAA’s Board of Directors and Education Committee.

• The Executive Council will be comprised of a Chair, Vice-Chair, all Past Chairs, MCAA Education Committee Contractor Liaison(s) and the MCAA Manufacturer / Supplier Staff Liaison.
• Past Chairs serve on the Executive Council as long as they are employed by their sponsoring company.
• The Executive Council serves as the selection committee for the Chair and Vice Chair.
• The responsibilities of the Executive Council include all the duties and responsibilities of Board members and each will attend all meetings to fulfill their obligations to the members.
• Executive Council members are expected to provide advice on the business and interests of the M/S membership, address concerns with members of the Council, assist in special projects, membership development and membership recruitment initiatives.
• The Chair of the Governing Board will report on activities of the Manufacturer / Supplier
  Membership to MCAA’s Board of Directors.

C. Representation as Voting Members of MCAA’s Board of Directors and Attendance at MCAA’s Summer and Convention Meetings

To demonstrate the importance of MCAA’s partnership with its M/S members, MCAA’s membership approved at its March 1, 2007 annual business meeting a voting seat for the Chair of the Manufacturer / Supplier Governing Board as a member of MCAA’s Board of Directors.

At MCAA’s 2018 Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, MCAA’s By-Laws were amended to add an additional voting seat for the Vice-Chair on MCAA’s Board of Directors.

The term of office for the Chair will be two years and the Vice-Chair will serve a two-year term prior to becoming chair at the next annual meeting. The Chair and Vice-Chair attend the Summer and Convention MCAA Board of Directors’ meetings.

D. MCAA Education Committee

The Chair and Vice-Chair will serve two-year terms on MCAA’s Education Committee to coincide with their terms of office.

E. Meetings

There will be two official meetings of the Manufacturer / Supplier membership in each fiscal year.

• Annual Meeting for Council Participants
  This meeting will be held at the annual MCAA Convention; open to all members of the M/S Council Membership. The primary purpose of this meeting is to review the guidelines for the annual manufacturer / supplier exhibit and discuss matters of general interest to all Council members. The Manufacturers/Supplier Governing Board Executive Council will conduct the business of this meeting. Executive Council members are required to attend this meeting or designate an alternate representative from their company.
• M/S Governing Board Meeting
  This meeting will be held in conjunction with the MCAA Education Committee meeting (typically in June). The official business of the M/S membership, including the development of recommendations regarding policies, procedures, and the governance structure, will take place at this meeting. Members of the Board will make every effort to attend or send an alternate.
• The M/S Executive Council may hold conference calls and meetings as needed to address matters before the Governing Board and the Manufacturer / Supplier Membership.
• All current members of the Manufacturer / Supplier Membership may be polled by the MCAA national office staff to ascertain any business to bring to the Governing Board for consideration at its meeting.

F. Termination of Service

If an M/S Governing Board member organization is unable to fulfill the obligations contained in this document, the member organization will be removed from the M/S Governing Board at any time.

X. POLICY REVIEW AND UPDATES

MCAA retains the right to modify or update this policy at its discretion. The M/S Membership and Council participants are responsible for reviewing and complying with the most current version of this policy as communicated by MCAA.

XI. BY RECEIVING THIS POLICY, ALL M/S AGREE TO:

• Comply fully with the Code of Conduct Policy (Section I.B)
• Antitrust Compliance Policy (Section I.D)
• Comply fully with the Exhibitor Data Use Policy (Section VII)
• Acknowledge understanding of the penalties for non-compliance.