Joining CoST

There are two ways to join CoST, either as a CoST member or as a CoST affiliate member.

Membership

CoST membership is aimed at those committed to improving transparency and accountability in public infrastructure and see CoST as central to that reform effort. We are currently focusing on supporting our current members during the pandemic and economic crisis, if you are interested in joining us as a member please contact us.

Details of this membership type are as follows:

Membership status is open to any national or sub-national part of government and its partners in private sector and civil society, and to individual procuring entities and megaprojects.

Further details on membership, including a member’s rights and responsibilities, support they can receive from CoST IS and the steps to take to make an application are outlined in the Joining CoST Guidance Note.

Affiliate membership

CoST affiliate membership is aimed at those committed to improving transparency and accountability in public infrastructure and see CoST as a source of tools and an approach that can support that reform effort.

If you are interested in joining us as a member please contact us.

Details of this membership type are as follows:

  • Affiliate membership is open to any national or sub-national part of government and to individual procuring entities and megaprojects.
    Affiliate members adopt and adapt those aspects of the CoST approach that they consider most useful and appropriate in their circumstances.
  • The CoST Board does monitor the progress of members in this category and continued membership does not imply that CoST endorses or approves of their reform effort.
  • Affiliate members publish progress reports and through this mechanism are accountable to their stakeholders.
  • Affiliate members are not subject to the CoST performance procedures. However, the CoST Board reserves the right to periodically review if affiliate members are meeting their responsibilities. A failure to meet responsibilities, or to respond to Board requests for information, can result in affiliate membership being revoked.

Further details on affiliate membership, including an affiliate member’s rights and responsibilities, support they can receive from CoST IS and the steps to take to make an application are outlined in the Joining CoST Guidance Note.

Moving between membership categories

It is possible to move between member and affiliate categories in both directions and at the discretion of the CoST Board. A member might consider that reforms have been institutionalised to a point where some elements of the full CoST approach are no longer necessary. In such circumstances, switching to become an affiliate member would enable them to continue benefiting from an association with CoST, but in a way that had fewer responsibilities and therefore constituted a ‘lighter touch’ relationship. Alternatively, an affiliate could be the starting point for a reform effort that needs to build support and gain momentum before switching to become a member once they are in place and there is appetite for a more substantial effort based on the full CoST approach.

There is no hierarchy between categories of membership but different options, and prospective members must decide which option is most relevant in their circumstances.

Using CoST tools and resources

In addition to the two membership types, anyone can use the freely available range of tools and resources from our website at any time without joining CoST, to aide their efforts to improve transparency and accountability in public and public/private infrastructure investment.

To find out about the application process please contact us in the first instance.