Disaster Mutual Assistance Plan

The Association's Disaster Mutual Assistance Plan (DMAP) Program is Like Insurance – It's There In Case You Need It.

Fortunately printers do not often experience a disaster which interrupts their business operations but occasionally it happens. Storm damage, floods, fire, equipment breakdown, labor disputes, cyber-attacks, or other regional or national disasters can bring production operations to a screeching halt and prevent or delay a company from fulfilling its customers’ needs. Companies can buy insurance to cover the cost of the damage and recover the cost of additional business expenses, but still must serve their customers. If we don’t meet the customers’ needs quickly, everything else becomes unimportant.

Printing businesses may also find that having a contingency plan in place is required by some customers before they can enter into a contract or place an order with the company. DMAP certificates have been used to fulfill this requirement, at no cost to Association members.

Participants in the DMAP Program are asked to complete an Equipment Inventory and sign a Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement. Participants agree that in the event the Association calls them on behalf of another member needing assistance, the participant will respond favorably by offering to perform the services needed in a confidential manner subject to the following guidelines:

• Any relationship with the customer will be disclosed at the beginning of discussion between the firm outsourcing the work and the firm performing the work. This disclosure includes having the customer on a prospective call list.
• All discussions and outsourcing of the work will be strictly confidential and be conducted under the highest ethical standards.
• The printer or graphic arts firm performing the work agrees not to contact the customer or solicit work from the customer for a period of one year.
• The work will be performed at reasonable trade prices, which are mutually agreed upon between the firm outsourcing the work and the firm performing the work.

We also have a Disaster Planning Mutual Assistance Guide to assist with planning your company’s course of action should you experience a business interruption. Planning and preparation will help smooth your journey through any potential adversity.

To learn more about the DMAP Program, contact your BDD or the GMA office at 614.794.2300.

GMA Outreach

GMA has created an outreach program to help facilitate assistance and support our communities in times of need.

As demonstrated by our GMA members, we have a tremendous group dedicated to the success of our Association and the success of our industry. While building a comprehensive outreach program will take time, I am confident that we can do this one small step at a time.

If you would like to volunteer to assist with various recovery efforts, please contact GMA at 614.794.2300. We will monitor situations as they arise and update this section as needed.