As part of the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) efforts to provide enhanced member value and operate more efficiently, the Council today announced a list of firms they will use on a preferred basis for outside services.

Primarily performing legal and communications services, these “preferred provider” firms were selected in a rigorous, year-long review process spearheaded by ACC members and the ACC self-funded chemical, plastics, and chlorine groups. The process was expanded to include a review of association-wide operations.

In a letter to the ACC Board of Directors, President and CEO Jack N. Gerard said, “This effort will maximize resources, leverage services, and reduce costs by bringing a small number of quality firms with strong credentials to ACC to deliver bottom-line results to our membership at competitive rates. Consolidating the selection of outside legal and communications experts chosen to perform work for ACC will improve services and strengthen our mission of making ACC operate more like a business that delivers valuable advocacy to our clients.”

Under the new approach, ACC has reduced the number of law firms retained nearly 70%, while reducing total legal costs by greater than 20%. Similar efforts on the communications front have yielded a nearly 15% savings in the use of outside communications services. Based on past legal and communications expenditures, ACC projects annual cost savings of approximately $1.1 million. As preferred providers, these firms will receive first consideration by ACC for work assigned to outside legal or communications providers in the future. ACC will annually review its list to consider if changes are necessary.  

The preferred provider approach will also help the Council better coordinate advocacy efforts among various product groups while reducing the number of experts working on similar issues, bringing better consistency and alignment to ACC’s advocacy.