The Monitoring Association

What The Monitoring Association does

The Monitoring Association (TMA) is a U.S. nonprofit trade association founded in 1950 as the Central Station Alarm Association and rebranded to its current name in 2018 to reflect the industry's evolution beyond traditional central station operations. TMA represents the companies and public safety agencies that install, service, and monitor electronic security, fire, and life-safety systems across commercial, government, and residential markets, alongside equipment manufacturers and industry service providers. Its core functional remit is industry advocacy, standards development, professional certification, education, and government relations on behalf of the professional monitoring industry.

The association's central technical asset is the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP), launched in 2011 through a co-development partnership with APCO International and Nlets. ASAP is a standards-based digital alarm communication protocol that transmits alarm notifications directly from monitoring centers into the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems of 9-1-1/PSAP centers, replacing manual phone-based dispatch. The ASAP service is hosted on AWS GovCloud and integrates with CAD platforms from Tyler Technologies (Eagle InterAct) and Motorola Solutions. Supporting assets include the Five Diamond Designation (the industry's recognized monitoring center certification), the FirstNet program for public safety broadband access, the IQ quality control program, and a body of ANSI-accredited standards covering video monitoring procedures (VMS-01), active threat notification (ATN-01), alarm validation scoring (AVS-01, 2024), and alarm confirmation/verification procedures (CS-V-01). ASAP coverage is reported as protecting more than 65 million people across more than 19% of the U.S. population.

TMA's business model is membership-funded and subscription-style across four main streams: annual membership dues from monitoring companies, integrators, manufacturers, consultants, and service providers; event and conference fees from the annual meeting, mid-year meeting, and OPSTech; education and training revenue from online operator training (Operator Level 1/2, Cybersecurity Series, AVS-01 operator training with up to 40% member discount) and certification programs; and publications revenue from the quarterly Dispatch magazine and weekly Signals newsletter. Membership pricing is quote-based, tiered by company size and type, and not publicly disclosed. The association is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors (most recent 2026-2028 term), has 11-50 staff, and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia.

Name

The Monitoring Association

Legal name

The Monitoring Association

Website

https://tma.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Monitoring Association is a 75-year-old nonprofit trade association representing the professional security monitoring industry. It operates the ASAP digital alarm protocol connecting monitoring centers to 9-1-1/PSAPs, issues ANSI-accredited standards and the Five Diamond certification, and serves monitoring companies, integrators, manufacturers, and public safety agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Security Industry Trade Association / Alarm Monitoring Standards

NAICS

Security Systems Services (56162), Investigation and Security Services (5616)

SIC

Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Industrial Alarm Monitoring (BPAKAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fire Alarm Monitoring & Dispatch (BPAKAFAC), Professional Monitoring (Burglar/Intrusion) (HSAHAAAA), Residential Alarm Monitoring (Burglar/Intrusion) (BPAKAFAA), Medical Alert / PERS Monitoring (Emergency Response) (BPAKAFAD)

Keywords

• Security monitoring standards
• Alarm dispatch protocols
• Monitoring center certification
• Trade association services
• Public safety communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Lorain

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from monitoring companies, systems integrators, service providers, consultants, and product manufacturers who join TMA for industry advocacy, standards, and networking benefits.
2. Event and Conference Fees: Registration and sponsorship fees for TMA's annual conference, expo, and regional events that bring together industry professionals.
3. Education and Training Programs: Fees for professional development courses, training materials, certification programs, and continuing education for monitoring industry personnel.
4. Publications and Media: Revenue from Dispatch magazine subscriptions, publications, and potentially digital content distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Monitoring Association is a nonprofit trade association that operates the ASAP Service, a standards-based digital alarm protocol that automatically delivers alarm notifications from monitoring centers to 9-1-1 computer-aided dispatch systems, eliminating manual phone-based dispatch. The association also develops industry standards (VMS-01, ATN-01, AVS-01, CS-V-01), provides the Five Diamond Designation certification for monitoring centers, delivers online training programs, and publishes industry resources to its member companies.

Product overview

The Monitoring Association (TMA) is a nonprofit trade association representing the professional monitoring and response industry. TMA operates primarily as a standards body, certification organization, and industry advocacy group rather than a product manufacturer. The core product is the ASAP Service, a standards-based digital alarm protocol that automates communication between alarm monitoring centers and 9-1-1 centers (PSAPs), transmitting alarm notifications directly to computer-aided dispatch systems. Supporting programs include the Five Diamond Designation (excellence certification for monitoring centers), FirstNet (public safety broadband connectivity), and the IQ quality control program. TMA develops and maintains industry standards including VMS-01 (video monitoring procedures), ATN-01 (active threat notification), AVS-01 (alarm validation scoring), and CS-V-01 (alarm confirmation/verification procedures). Educational offerings include AVS-01 Monitoring Center Operator Training, online training modules, and cybersecurity series. Awards programs recognize excellence through Excellence Awards, Marvel Technology Award, Public Sector Award, and memorial awards. Publications include Dispatch (quarterly magazine) and Signals (weekly e-newsletter). The association also provides member resources including Virtual Product Reviews, ACCENT listserv, and a member directory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASAP Service: Automated Secure Alarm Protocol - a standards-based digital alarm service that enables faster, more accurate emergency response by automatically delivering alarm notifications to computer-aided dispatch systems.
• Five Diamond Designation
• FirstNet Program
• IQ Program

Products and services

• ASAP Service The Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) is a standards-based digital alarm service that enables faster, more accurate, and more informed emergency response by automatically delivering alarm notifications from monitoring centers directly to Emergency Communications Center (ECC/911 center) computer-aided dispatch systems, eliminating manual data entry and phone calls. Available to TMA-member monitoring companies and PSAPs.
• Five Diamond Designation Annual designation granted to monitoring centers demonstrating TMA's five points of excellence in employee education, customer service, operational standards, and reduction of false dispatches. Exclusive to TMA members listed/approved by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.
• FirstNet Program Nationwide public-safety wireless broadband network platform, built and deployed through a public-private partnership, providing TMA members with access to FirstNet services for alarm communications.
• IQ Program Quality control program for installations, monitoring, maintenance, and service of electronic safety systems, providing TMA members with a revenue stream and driving customer satisfaction.
• Online Training Programs Comprehensive online training for monitoring center operators including Operator Level 1 and Level 2 modules, Cybersecurity Series, and Consumer Training: False Alarm Awareness. Members receive up to 40% discount with bulk purchases.
• TMA-AVS-01 Monitoring Center Operator Training Training program for monitoring center operators based on the AVS-01 Alarm Validation Scoring Standard, part of TMA's online training offerings.
• TMA VMS-01 Monitoring Center Video Procedural Standard Standards document defining normalized and repeatable procedures for video alarm monitoring center services.
• ANSI/TMA-ATN-01 Monitoring Center Notification of Active Threat Detection American National Standard developed for monitoring center notification procedures when active threat situations are detected.
• ANSI/TMA-AVS-01 2024 Alarm Validation Scoring Standard 2024 Alarm Validation Scoring Standard providing a framework for evaluating and scoring alarm events to improve monitoring accuracy and reduce false dispatches.
• TMA CS-V-01 Alarm Confirmation, Verification and Notification Procedures Standard defining procedures for alarm confirmation, verification, and notification in monitoring center operations.
• Dispatch Magazine Quarterly print magazine providing government relations news, profiles of award-winning monitoring centers, program updates, and industry information to TMA members.
• Signals Newsletter Weekly e-newsletter keeping TMA members informed of industry news, government relations updates, and association announcements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 65 million people protected by TMA member monitoring services
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• APCO (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTMA and APCO co-developed the ASAP (Automated Secure Alarm Protocol) protocol for digital alarm communications between monitoring companies and public safety answering points (PSAPs). This mutual partnership enables automated, accurate alarm dispatch through direct electronic data transmission, reducing manual phone calls and human error in emergency response.
• Nlets (National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNlets, the national justice information sharing network, co-developed the ASAP protocol with TMA. Nlets provides the infrastructure for transmitting alarm data from monitoring companies to law enforcement and emergency services across state lines and jurisdictions.
• Tyler TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationTyler Technologies provides CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) system integration for the ASAP service. Their Eagle InterAct CAD system integrates with ASAP to enable seamless alarm data flow from monitoring companies to dispatch centers.
• Mission Critical PartnersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMission Critical Partners serves as an implementation partner facilitating ASAP adoption by public safety agencies. They provide consulting services to help PSAPs integrate ASAP into their dispatch operations and train personnel on the protocol.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) GovCloudcoreTechnology or IntegrationAWS GovCloud provides the secure cloud infrastructure hosting the ASAP service. This enables secure, scalable delivery of alarm data to public safety agencies across the nation while meeting federal security requirements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Security Industry Association (SIA): Trade association representing security product manufacturers, integrators, and service providers. Directly comparable to TMA as a parallel industry association, though SIA focuses more on manufacturing and products while TMA specializes in monitoring services and PSAP integration.
• Electronic Security Association (ESA): Trade association for the electronic security and life safety industry, including installing dealers, integrators, and monitoring companies. Directly comparable as a competing trade body representing overlapping membership segments in residential and commercial security.
• APCO International: Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, the world's largest organization of public safety communications professionals. Directly comparable as TMA's co-development partner for ASAP and a peer association serving the public safety communications ecosystem.
• ASIS International: Global association for security management professionals, representing enterprise security leaders and practitioners. Comparable as a peer industry association offering certifications (CPP, PSP) and standards development, serving an adjacent but overlapping security industry constituency.
• Nlets: National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, the interstate justice information sharing network. Directly comparable as TMA's strategic partner for ASAP infrastructure, serving public safety agencies with mission-critical communications capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): Globally recognized standards developer for fire and life safety, including NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code). Comparable as a standards-setting authority that influences the monitoring industry, though NFPA operates at much broader scale across all fire safety domains.
• UL Standards & Engagement: Global safety science organization developing standards (UL 681, UL 827, UL 1981) for alarm monitoring equipment and central stations. Comparable as a standards authority whose certifications and listings are referenced throughout TMA's Five Diamond program.

Emerging players

• RapidSOS: Technology company providing emergency response data platform connecting smart devices directly to 911 dispatch. Comparable as a potential competitor or complement to ASAP, with a parallel mission of improving data flow from connected devices to PSAPs.
• CentralStation.com: Consumer-facing alarm verification service partnered with TMA. Comparable as an emerging digital tool within the TMA ecosystem that uses TMA standards to validate alarm company legitimacy for end consumers.

Regional players

• Mission Critical Partners: Consulting firm specializing in public safety communications, NG911 implementation, and PSAP modernization. Comparable as TMA's implementation partner for ASAP adoption and as a peer organization serving the public safety technology ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MonitoringAssoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/themonitoringassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-monitoring-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Monitoring Association