What Delaware Contractors Association does

Delaware Contractors Association (DCA) is a private, nonprofit trade association headquartered at 527 Stanton Christiana Rd, Newark, Delaware, that serves as the recognized industry body for construction contractors and suppliers operating in the state. The firmographics data list a 1934 founding, while operational records show continuous programming long enough to host a 56th Annual Meeting in 2026, with workforce training in place since 1969. DCA operates as one of 92 chapters of the AGC of America, a national association with over 26,000 member firms, inheriting national advocacy infrastructure, accredited educational content, and brand credibility. Its membership is segmented into Contractor members (Construction Manager, Highway Contractor, Merit Shop Subcontractor, and Allied Subcontractor tiers at $900 annual base dues plus work-volume surcharges) and Associate members (suppliers of goods and services at $1,000 annual base dues), with dues billed on a prorated monthly cadence.

DCA's core service portfolio spans four pillars: Government Relations (advocacy and policy engagement at local, state, and federal levels, framed as "The Trusted Voice" for Delaware construction); Training and Education (workforce development programs including AGC Live Virtual Training, safety management, construction supervision, project management, CM-BIM, and CM-Lean certifications, delivered at the DCA Training Center, University of Delaware, and Delaware Technical and Community College); Networking (an active calendar including the Annual Crab Feast, Golf Outings, Sporting Clays, PAC Luncheons, Governor's Safety Awards Dinner, and Young Executives Committee activities); and Events/Programs such as the annual Construction Excellence Awards and the Member Discount Program (delivered through NPP and Verizon Wireless). An Action Center provides voter engagement and civic participation tools under the AGC Construction Votes initiative.

The association is led by Executive Director Sean Matthews and supported by a small staff (1-10 employees per firmographics), including Christine Dougherty and Jamie Chambers (membership). Revenue is generated through recurring membership dues, event registration fees, training programs, and member programs, with no publicly disclosed figures. The business is geographically constrained to Delaware within the Mid-Atlantic U.S. market, and the association does not operate any technology products, APIs, or proprietary software platforms.

Name

Delaware Contractors Association

Legal name

Delaware Contractors Association

Website

https://e-dca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Delaware Contractors Association is a nonprofit trade association and AGC of America chapter providing advocacy, training, networking, and member services to construction contractors and suppliers operating in Delaware.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual base dues from contractor and associate members. Contractor membership includes base dues plus work volume fees. Prorated monthly billing.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from ticketed events including Annual Crab Feast, Annual Meeting, Golf Outings, Sporting Clays events, and various social gatherings.
3. Training Programs: Educational programs and training courses conducted at DCA Training Center, University of Delaware, and Delaware Technical and Community College.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Delaware Contractors Association (DCA) is a nonprofit construction industry trade association that provides membership-based services including government relations and legislative advocacy, construction training and education programs, professional networking events, the annual Construction Excellence Awards program, and member discount programs. DCA operates as one of 92 chapters of AGC of America, delivering advocacy, workforce development, and industry connections to construction contractors and suppliers operating in Delaware.

Product overview

Delaware Contractors Association (DCA) is a construction industry trade association affiliated with AGC of America, serving as the recognized voice for construction in Delaware. Rather than offering a unified technology platform, DCA provides a portfolio of membership services including Government Relations (advocacy and policy engagement), Training and Education (workforce development programs, AGC certifications), Networking (events and industry connections), Events management, Construction Excellence Awards, Member Discount Programs, and an Action Center for civic engagement. The association's services are delivered through a membership-based model, with membership tiers including Contractor (Construction Manager, Highway Contractor, Allied Subcontractor, Merit Shop Subcontractor levels with annual base dues of $900 prorated monthly plus work volume fees) and Associate (supplier membership at $1,000 annual base dues).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Government Relations
• Training and Education
• Networking Events
• Construction Excellence Awards
• Member Discount Program
• Action Center

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AGC of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCA is one of 92 chapters of AGC of America, the leading association for the construction industry with over 26,000 member firms. This affiliation provides national advocacy, nationally accredited educational programs, essential news and information, and member discount access for DCA members.
• NPP (National Purchasing Partners)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership provides member discount program on business expenses including wireless service, office products, and industrial supplies for DCA member companies and employees.
• Verizon WirelessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough NPP, eligible members receive 22% off corporate calling plans $34.99+, free activation, and employees receive up to 18% discount on personal plans.
• University of DelawareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational programs conducted in partnership with University of Delaware for workforce development.
• Delaware Technical and Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining courses and educational programs conducted at Delaware Technical and Community College venues.
• AGC Construction VotesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVoter engagement initiative provided through AGC of America affiliation to help construction professionals participate in the electoral process.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA): Niche construction trade association focused on design-build project delivery method. Smaller membership base than AGC but increasingly relevant as design-build grows; provides certification, training, and advocacy that partially overlap with DCA's member services.

Direct peers

• American Subcontractors Association (ASA): National trade association specifically representing subcontractors in the construction industry. Directly competes with DCA for specialty subcontractor members (Merit Shop Subcontractor, Allied Subcontractor tiers) and offers overlapping advocacy, education, and networking services.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): National construction trade association competing directly with AGC/DCA for construction contractor memberships. Operates a parallel chapter network, provides similar training, advocacy, and networking services, and represents an alternative association choice for Delaware-area merit shop contractors.
• AGC of New York State: Another state-level AGC chapter providing directly comparable services (advocacy, training, networking, events) to construction contractors in New York. Same organizational structure, same AGC affiliation model, and same membership-tier pricing approach as DCA.
• Associated Builders and Contractors - Delaware Chapter: Local Delaware chapter of ABC, the primary competing trade association for the same Delaware construction contractor pool. Provides directly overlapping services - advocacy, training, networking - to the same member base DCA serves in the same geography.

Regional players

• AGC of Pennsylvania: State-level AGC chapter serving Pennsylvania construction contractors with same chapter structure as DCA. Operates in adjacent Mid-Atlantic geography with comparable membership services, training programs, and advocacy model.
• Associated Builders and Contractors - Keystone Chapter (Pennsylvania): ABC chapter serving Pennsylvania/Mid-Atlantic region with comparable membership-based trade association services for construction contractors. Operates in adjacent geography to DCA's Delaware market with similar member profile.

Broad incumbents

• AGC of America: National construction trade association serving as DCA's parent affiliate. Represents 26,000+ member firms across 92 chapters nationally; provides nationally accredited training programs (BIM, Lean), federal advocacy, and the NPP member discount program that DCA extends to its members.
• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): Larger national construction trade association focused primarily on residential construction. Overlaps with DCA's residential contractor members and competes for industry advocacy attention at federal level, though its residential focus differs from DCA's broader commercial/highway/specialty scope.

Others

• National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC): Construction industry association focused on supporting women in the trades. Not a direct competitor for DCA's members but represents an adjacent industry ecosystem organization addressing workforce development, an area overlapping with DCA's training programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Delaware-Contractors-Association-119879304696072
• Instagraminstagram.com/de_contractors_assoc/?hl=en
• Xx.com/delcontractors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/delaware-contractors-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Delaware Contractors Association