Frequently Asked Questions

To better support our membership. In this era of peer competition there is a mismatch between what our national strategies aim to achieve and how our defense industrial base is postured. NDIA NEXT, with its policy initiatives, structural changes and dues updates, provides the Association with the strong foundation required to play a critical role enabling cooperation between the U.S. defense industrial base and government. This is a critical time for our nation’s security - the threats are real and growing. NDIA membership strengthens and creates resiliency in our defense industrial base.

NDIA dues depend on the type of membership. Go to our membership category page to select the most appropriate solution for your needs. Follow the "learn more" links to find out more information on specific 2025 dues. For 85% of our corporate members the increase will be $1,000 or less per year.

NDIA’s last increased our corporate dues in 1997, 27 years ago.

Through engagement with policymakers, regulatory and legislative input, and thought leadership, NDIA prioritizes educating government leaders and the public on the complexity and nature of the defense industrial base through a “singular voice” representing all sizes and sectors of the DIB. Recent efforts include:

• Facilitating dialogue and interaction between industry partners and key government leaders, including through invitation-only engagements and wargames.
• Regularly submitting written comments and recommendations to regulatory and legislative proposals, representing the collective voice of our member companies.
• Updating our Regulatory Tracker and focusing on making our Policy Weekly Digest a source of actionable information for our members, especially our small businesses.
• Establishing new working groups focused on shaping specific policy areas around artificial intelligence (AI) and intellectual property (IP).

NDIA has moved the needle on behalf of our membership in several areas. For example, NDIA saw the risk to our small businesses if the SBIR program was eliminated and acted to get it renewed. Through our Vital Signs and Inflation reports we brought attention, and introduced recommended solutions, to the major issues hurting the defense industrial base.

We have continued to engage with the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, and the State Department to streamline Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and the implementation of AUKUS. We have also helped to advance legislative proposals that impact our members, including tax amortization and supplemental funding, and worked to stop harmful policy proposals, such as the erosion of IP and data rights.

When we have spent thousands of dollars to highlight a challenge, we have seen DoD then put billions of dollars toward critical solutions. We are proud of the support we provide for our members, but there is more to do through NDIA Next.

NDIA will expand our work to ensure policymakers and warfighters understand the role of DIB in our national security – we need an “Arsenal of Democracy” for the 21st Century that is very different from the 1930s and 1940s.

NDIA will lead the public discussions and offer critical insights and solutions into areas of strength and vulnerability for our U.S. DIB through our annual Vital Signs report, regulatory filings, and engagement with key policymakers to:

• Prioritize sufficient and stable budgets,
  
• Advance DoD’s digital modernization,
  
• Expand international cooperation and Foreign Military Sales,
  
• Restore our industrial readiness, and
  
• Strengthen the resiliency of our supply chains.

NDIA will press the government to work with industry to ensure compliance requirements mitigate critical risks without creating unnecessary barriers to entry and participation, including with acquisition reforms, cybersecurity compliance (CMMC), protecting IP and data rights, and AI governance.

NDIA will lead as an instrumental voice in the upcoming reauthorization of the SBIR program to ensure there is continued support to foster innovation and enable small businesses to contribute significantly to national defense through groundbreaking technologies and solutions.

• Industry: This package most closely aligns with NDIA’s previous Corporate membership package. This package is for organizations, including prime contractors and sub-contractors, engaged in the business of providing goods and/or services to the Department of Defense (DoD) and combat support agencies.
• Industry Partner (New for 2025): Industry Partner Corporate Members are companies such as law firms and consulting firms whose primary customer is not the U.S. DoD (they are neither primes nor subcontractors) but directly support corporations whose primary customer is the U.S DoD.
• Academia (New for 2025): This package helps NDIA identify and support the academic institutions who are engaged in research and development of new capabilities with potential defense applications. This package is for institutions of higher learning whose primary purpose is education beyond high school including research institutions affiliated with these institutions.

All Corporate Membership packages provide:

• Complimentary individual membership benefits for ALL employees, faculty, staff, and students
  
• Access to professional development opportunities such as access to webinars, Podcasts, e-Books, Research, and Publications
  
• Discounts on conference attendance for ALL employees, faculty, staff, and students
  
• Discounts on meeting, conference and event exhibits
  
• Opportunities for industry/government/academia collaboration through participation in Division Committees, Chapter volunteer leadership, and via NDIA’s Emerging Technologies Institute (ETI)
  
• Access to Policy Working Groups and Invitations to member-only events with senior DoD leaders, including classified wargames
  
• Invitations to targeted, member-only events to provide input on existing and proposed policy and regulations
  
• Regular updates on proposed and implemented regulatory and legislative changes via the Regulatory Tracker as well as opportunities to help shape NDIA responses to proposed changes
  
• Regular updates on industry-centric events, news, and policy activity through NDIA’s Policy Weekly Digest
  
• A subscription to NDIA’s award-wining National Defense magazine for all employees, faculty and staff
  • National Defense provides access to in-depth information and opinions shaping the U.S. defense enterprise by covering all key stakeholders (the Pentagon, the Administration, Congress, and industry) with specific focus on market trends, scientific breakthroughs, product development, military requirements and programs
    
• Member-only E-newsletters
  
• Company or institution entry in the online MegaDirectory
  • Entry highlights goods, services and areas of research focus
    
• Inclusion on NDIA Corporate Directory
  
• Permission to use NDIA logo on website to demonstrate commitment to a strong, resilient DIB
  
• Access to member-only surveys shaping input and insights across NDIA forums including the annual Vital Signs reports

•  The dues pricing for the different types of organizations can be found here

Membership is annual, beginning on the first day of the month when NDIA receives payment. NDIA does not offer pro-rated dues.

When you join an organization with corporate membership, NDIA can add you to the organization’s roster, expanding your member benefits to align with the corporate member benefits for employees.

• NDIA Basic
• WID Basic
• Industry Professional: Enhanced benefits, see below.  

• Discounts on meeting, conference and event attendance
• Professional development opportunities such as access to webinars, Podcasts, e-Books, Research, and Publications
• Opportunities to collaborate with government, industry and academia through participation in Chapters and Chapter volunteer leadership
• Access to local Chapters for community engagement and networking
• A subscription to NDIA’s award-wining National Defense magazine
  • National Defense provides access to in-depth information and opinions shaping the U.S. defense enterprise by covering all key stakeholders (the Pentagon, the Administration, Congress, and industry) with specific focus on market trends, scientific breakthroughs, product development, military requirements and programs
• Member-only E-newsletters
• Access to local Chapters for community engagement and networking
  
• Contributions to your local community through scholarships and STEM programs
  
• Access to member-only surveys shaping input and insights across NDIA forums, including the annual Vital Signs reports

• Industry Professional Membership offers U.S. individuals all same benefits as Basic Individual Membership plus increased opportunities for thought leadership and relationship building.  Added benefits include:
• Eligibility to join a Division Committee and participate in all Division leadership roles except Committee Chair. Powerful convening organizations, division leaders benefit from earned thought leadership as event planners, panelists, and speakers. Division leadership provides unique opportunities to build and develop deep relationships with government, military, academic, and industry professionals.
• Access to NDIA’s exclusive regulatory tracker.

Yes, for certain membership types.

• The lowest membership tier for each type of Corporate membership will receive a 20% discount for a 3-year membership.
• Individual memberships will receive a 20% discount for a 3-year membership.
• For larger organizations, NDIA offers membership solely on an annual basis.

NDIA plans to update our structure and implement their dues changes in January 2025

All memberships will run through their end date

Members will convert to the new packages and dues rates during their renewal process

NDIA allows companies to renew their memberships beginning four months prior to their membership date.

No change – keep all the same benefits you had for life.

You wont pay new dues until you renew when your 3 year membership ends.