 The
Genesis of the Defense
Industry Offsets Association,
or DIOA,
occurred on July
22, 1982 when representatives
of 12 U.S. Defense Contractors met at
Hughes Aircraft in Torrance, California.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss
and share information on how each
company was organized for dealing
with offset requirements of foreign
governments.
Offset requirements were emerging as
a new and common element of the international
defense business marketplace. The participants
discussed trends they observed developing
within the offset/countertrade field
and potential future involvement of the
U.S. Government in this area.
At that time, no
formal organization or professional
forum was established for this
group.
The general consensus at that meeting
was that the U.S.
defense industry, as a whole,
would benefit
from further exchanges and mutual self-education on
the growing phenomenon of offsets.
The entire U.S. defense industry that
was involved in international defense
and aerospace sales was affected.
Contractors increasingly
faced common problems in understanding
and fulfilling the expectations of
foreign governments who were negotiating
offset arrangements as a condition
of such sales.
As further informal meetings were held
and participation grew it was evident
that the Offset issue
was an increasingly
important part the international defense
and aerospace marketplace. It
seemed appropriate that a formal industry
organization was needed.
In 1985, the Defense
Industry Offset Association (DIOA) was
organized under a set of Articles of
Association. Officers were elected
and a more structured management of
the Association was begun. |