National Council of Acoustical Consultants
The National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC) is an international, Indianapolis-based professional membership association founded in 1962 that represents and accredits independent acoustical consulting firms, providing a public consultant directory, a quarterly newsletter, events, and an honors-and-awards program for its member firms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What National Council of Acoustical Consultants does
The National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC) is an international, membership-based professional association founded in 1962 and headquartered at 3502 Woodview Trace, Suite 300, Indianapolis, Indiana. NCAC represents a network of independent consulting firms specializing in acoustics, noise, and vibration across six practice verticals: architectural, mechanical systems, industrial, environmental, product and system design, and forensic acoustics. To qualify, firm principals must hold full membership in either the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) or the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE), and all members must adhere to NCAC's Canon of Ethics governing business practice, technical consulting, and client service.
NCAC does not produce commercial software or hardware. Its core offerings are professional services and information products: a searchable public Directory of Acoustical Consultants, a quarterly NCAC Newsletter (with paid non-member subscriptions at $50/year and advertising slots), Student Travel Awards and Grants, industry events (including Noise-Con and an Annual Meeting), Honors & Awards programs (the Paul Boner Award and the Laymon N. Miller Award for Excellence in Acoustical Consulting, jointly administered with INCE/USA), a Job Listings portal for member firms, and an Outreach and Inclusion Committee. Underlying delivery is a basic website (ncac.com) plus social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn); no proprietary technology platform, API, or application is offered.
NCAC generates revenue from three streams: membership dues from qualifying acoustical consulting firms (amounts not publicly disclosed), newsletter subscriptions, and newsletter advertising. Leadership is provided by a rotating volunteer Board of Directors drawn from member firms (e.g., President Joseph Bridger of Stewart Acoustical Consultants, President-Elect Jessica Clements of SmithGroup), supported by a contracted Executive Director (Kim Paugh, CAE). The organization has no parent company, no external funding, no disclosed financial figures, and no M&A history; its scale is consistent with a niche professional society serving a limited universe of qualified consulting firms primarily in North America with international reach.
National Council of Acoustical Consultants firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- National Council of Acoustical Consultants
- Legal name
- National Council of Acoustical Consultants
- Website
- https://ncac.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC) is an international, Indianapolis-based professional membership association founded in 1962 that represents and accredits independent acoustical consulting firms, providing a public consultant directory, a quarterly newsletter, events, and an honors-and-awards program for its member firms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
National Council of Acoustical Consultants industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)
Keywords
Where National Council of Acoustical Consultants is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
National Council of Acoustical Consultants business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: NCAC generates revenue through membership fees from professional firms specializing in acoustical consulting. Firm principals must be full members of ASA or INCE to qualify.
- Newsletter Subscriptions: Non-member subscriptions to the NCAC Newsletter are available for $50/year. Principals and Individual Members of member firms, Life and Honorary members receive subscriptions at no charge. Sponsors and advertisers receive one hard copy automatically.
- Newsletter Advertising: Advertising opportunities are available in the quarterly newsletter, allowing companies to market products and services to worldwide leaders in the acoustical consulting industry.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Non-member newsletter subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
National Council of Acoustical Consultants product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NCAC is a professional membership association representing independent acoustical consulting firms. It qualifies member firms whose principals are full members of ASA or INCE, publishes a quarterly newsletter, maintains a public directory of consultants, sponsors industry events and student awards, administers an awards program, and operates a job listings board to connect acoustical consulting firms with qualified candidates.
Product overview
The National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC) is a professional membership organization, not a product company. It operates as a network of independent consulting firms specializing in acoustics, noise, and vibration. The organization provides services including a Directory of Acoustical Consultants for public referral, a quarterly NCAC Newsletter, Student Travel Awards and Grants, Events (Noise-Con and Annual Meetings), an Honors & Awards Program, a Job Listings Service, and professional networking through its Outreach and Inclusion Committee. NCAC accepts professional firms based on education, references, and proven experience of principals, requiring member firm principals to be full members of either ASA or INCE.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Directory of Acoustical Consultants Online searchable directory enabling the public to find qualified NCAC-member acoustical consultants by company name, individual name, city, state, or country, with detailed information including specialties, company information, and principals.
- NCAC Newsletter Quarterly newsletter providing news of developments affecting acoustical consulting businesses, new products, and member-firm news; available by subscription to non-members at $50/year, with members and principals receiving it at no charge and sponsors/advertisers receiving one hard copy automatically.
- Industry Events (Noise-Con and Annual Meetings) NCAC sponsors and organizes industry events including Noise-Con (presented by INCE-USA) and NCAC Annual Meetings, providing peer interaction and professional development opportunities for acoustical consultants.
- Job Listings Service Centralized online job board connecting acoustical consulting firms with qualified candidates, featuring positions ranging from entry-level to principal consultant roles across various specializations.
- Newsletter Advertising Advertising opportunities in the quarterly NCAC Newsletter, allowing companies to market products and services to worldwide leaders in the acoustical consulting industry.
- Membership in NCAC Membership-based professional association for acoustical consulting firms whose principals are full members of ASA or INCE and who adhere to the NCAC Canon of Ethics; provides directory listing, peer networking, awards eligibility, and access to NCAC events.
Companies that use National Council of Acoustical Consultants
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
National Council of Acoustical Consultants technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
National Council of Acoustical Consultants partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
National Council of Acoustical Consultants competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC): National trade association representing thousands of engineering firms across disciplines. Broader incumbent with comparable firm-membership, ethics, advocacy, and PE-driven structure that envelops acoustical consultancies as a sub-segment.
- National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE): National society licensing and credentialing professional engineers across all disciplines. Comparable in ethics enforcement, licensing support, awards, and continuing education delivery - a scaled template of NCAC's PE-qualifier approach.
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): One of the largest US engineering professional societies, offering membership, certification, publications, and conferences. Parallels NCAC's member-firm accreditation logic at higher scale and across a different (but overlapping) technical domain.
Regional players
- European Acoustics Association (EAA): Pan-European umbrella for acoustical societies, mirroring NCAC's role but at a regional level. Comparable in promoting professional standards, ethics, and events for acoustical consultants, evidencing NCAC's addressable global model.
- International Commission on Acoustics (ICA): International umbrella body for acoustics that bridges national societies like ASA and NCAC across geographies. Comparable mission with global rather than US-centric scope; complements NCAC's international ambitions.
Direct peers
- Audio Engineering Society (AES): Professional society for audio engineering practitioners, organized along similar society/convention/standards lines as NCAC. Adjacent technical territory (audio/acoustics) with a parallel membership, awards, and event-driven model.
- Acoustical Society of America (ASA): Sister scientific/professional society for acoustical professionals. NCAC requires its principals to be full ASA members, making ASA the upstream qualification gate to NCAC membership and the closest functional peer in the acoustics ecosystem.
- Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE): Sister professional body for noise control engineering, co-presents Noise-Con with NCAC and serves as the alternative qualification pathway for NCAC principals. Directly comparable in mission: advancing engineering standards and member recognition in acoustics.
- International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration (IIAV): International scholarly/technical society advancing acoustics and vibration research and practice. Highly comparable member-driven society model with conferences and publications directly parallel to NCAC's Noise-Con and newsletter.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
National Council of Acoustical Consultants social profiles
Digital presenceNational Council of Acoustical Consultants financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
National Council of Acoustical Consultants leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
National Council of Acoustical Consultants funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
National Council of Acoustical Consultants M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about National Council of Acoustical Consultants
What does National Council of Acoustical Consultants do?
NCAC is a professional membership association representing independent acoustical consulting firms. It qualifies member firms whose principals are full members of ASA or INCE, publishes a quarterly newsletter, maintains a public directory of consultants, sponsors industry events and student awards, administers an awards program, and operates a job listings board to connect acoustical consulting firms with qualified candidates.
Is National Council of Acoustical Consultants a public or private company?
National Council of Acoustical Consultants is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was National Council of Acoustical Consultants founded?
National Council of Acoustical Consultants was founded in 1962. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is National Council of Acoustical Consultants based?
National Council of Acoustical Consultants is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does National Council of Acoustical Consultants make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are newsletter Subscriptions and newsletter Advertising.
Who are National Council of Acoustical Consultants's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Regional players are European Acoustics Association (EAA) and International Commission on Acoustics (ICA). Direct peers are Audio Engineering Society (AES), Acoustical Society of America (ASA), Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE) and International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration (IIAV).
Does National Council of Acoustical Consultants have an API?
No public API is recorded for National Council of Acoustical Consultants.
What industry is National Council of Acoustical Consultants in?
National Council of Acoustical Consultants's product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAOAC, Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies, with a secondary code of THAHACAA, Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.