Bylaws

Section 1 — Membership classes and dues

The guild recognizes three classes of membership. Associate members ($49 per month) may access the opportunity board, the verified directory, and solo quick-win routing. Teaming Syndicate members ($129 per month) may enter active deal rooms, receive compliance matchmaking, and initiate subcontractor rating requests. Executive Partner members ($249 per month) additionally receive priority deal desk routing, rate card benchmarking, and eligibility to stand for a Co-Chair seat.

Dues are billed monthly or annually in advance and are non-refundable. Non-payment for thirty (30) days suspends platform privileges; non-payment for ninety (90) days terminates membership.

Section 2 — Pursuit escrow

Each member entering an active deal room deposits a refundable commitment stake of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per solicitation. Stakes are held in a segregated escrow account supervised by the Executive Chair and are released in full to every member who delivers assigned proposal volumes by the Pink Team milestone, whether or not the proposal wins.

A member who fails to deliver an assigned volume, or who becomes unresponsive for more than seventy-two (72) hours during an active pursuit, forfeits the stake. Forfeited funds are distributed to the remaining performing members of that deal room as liquidated compensation for reallocated effort, and the defaulting member is suspended from that deal room for ninety (90) days.

Section 3 — Entity verification

Every member must maintain an active System for Award Management registration. The platform records the entity’s Unique Entity ID, registration expiration date, size status, and socioeconomic certifications. Where registration lapses or becomes inactive, platform privileges pause automatically until the member restores active status.

Section 4 — Elections

The four Co-Chair seats are filled by general election of the membership. Terms run two years and are staggered so that two seats stand in each annual cycle. Nominations open for twenty-one (21) days; the Executive Chair certifies each nominee’s eligibility before the ballot opens. Voting is one vote per member entity, conducted electronically over a seven-day window. A plurality elects.

A vacancy occurring mid-term is filled by appointment of the Executive Chair for the remainder of the term, subject to ratification at the next general election.

Section 5 — Quorum and board action

Three of the five board members, including the Executive Chair or a designee, constitute a quorum. Board action requires a majority of those present. The Executive Chair holds a tie-breaking vote. Board minutes are published to the membership within fourteen (14) days of each meeting.

Section 6 — Discipline

Grounds for suspension or expulsion include:

• Material misrepresentation of size status or socioeconomic certification.
• Proposal abandonment as defined in Section 2.
• Circumvention: use of platform procurement intelligence, member introductions, or rate card data to pursue an identified opportunity independently or with an unapproved third party. Liquidated damages equal fifteen percent (15%) of the total award value.
• Conduct that places another member’s award eligibility or set-aside status at risk.

Section 7 — Dispute resolution

Teaming disputes are submitted first to the Executive Chair for adjudication within ten (10) business days. A party may appeal to the full Board, whose determination is final as to guild membership and escrow disposition. Nothing in these bylaws limits a member’s rights under an executed teaming agreement or applicable law.

Section 8 — Confidentiality

Rate cards, pricing assumptions, capability narratives, and unpublished pursuit intelligence exchanged within a deal room are confidential for a period of three (3) years from disclosure, and may be used only for the identified pursuit.

Section 9 — Amendment

These bylaws may be amended by majority vote of the Board of Directors of SBAdvisoryBoard, effective upon written notice to the membership.