FIDIC National Member Association

A Member Association is a national association which is the largest association of firms providing technology-based intellectual consulting services for the built and natural environment in a country.

Process to become a FIDIC National Member Association

1. A letter from the association’s president requesting membership of FIDIC.

2. A copy of the organisation’s statutes, by-laws and regulations.

3. A copy of the organisation’s list of members.

4. A letter from a government ministry or official of the country in which the organisation is based confirming that the organisation is the largest registered association of firms providing technology-based intellectual consulting services for the built and natural environment in the country.

Membership fees

The current FIDIC membership model accounts for several factors in determining the rate paid by member associations in an attempt to balance MA performance (number of individuals they represent), the relative size of the market in which they operate and the degree of development status versus the countries’ peers.

FIDIC determines the calculation of subscriptions for member associations based on the number of staff employed by the association and its member firms or groups of firms. The currency used for the calculations is Swiss Franc.

Since 2017, FIDIC has frozen the unit rate and it remains at 2.65 Swiss Franc/staff member. The minimum membership fee is 1,900 Swiss Francs per year.

In October each year, FIDIC requests all its MAs to provide Reported Staff Numbers (RSN). The RSN is the total number of staff (technical and non-technical) in the companies that are members of the MA. A date in November of that year is provided as the deadline for receipt of the RSNs. If no RSN is received from the MA, the previous reported figure is applied and in some years a factor of up to 10% is added.

Then, the following calculations take place in the process.

1. Calculate 2/3 of fee from Reported Staff Numbers (RSN).

2. Calculate 1/3 of fee proportional to GDP.

The next stage of the calculation is in place to ensure fairness for various circumstances. Items that are considered include assisting MAs into membership, a factor for new members and a factor to limit rises.

3. Apply developing member Eased Entry Factor (EEF).

4. Limit maximum fee for any member to 1/5 of calculated increase, or 10% of previous fee.

Potential support available to help new and prospective MAs (EEF)

To encourage applications from new member countries, the membership formulation also allows FIDIC to exercise some flexibility on a case-by-case basis for very small, emerging MAs. This flexibility and reduction of the minimum membership fee for four years would be as follows - starting with 25% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 75% in year 3 and 100% in year 4.

Evaluation of applications for FIDIC membership

Applications are assessed by the FIDIC Secretariat and forwarded to the FIDIC Membership Committee for review and recommendation to the FIDIC board. The FIDIC board submits compliant applications to the annual General Assembly Meeting for final approval to be completed through a voting process participated by FIDIC members.