Control system integrators design and implement sophisticated control systems for manufacturing, process and other industrial facilities. Using their knowledge of engineering, information technology and business, system integrators integrate plant equipment to automate manufacturing and processes from the plant floor to the enterprise level. Automation helps manufacturers and processors reduce cost, increase production, use less energy and lower environmental impact.

The CSIA Industrial Automation Exchange is a directory of system integrators and industry suppliers. Using the sophisticated search function, you can sort by industries, specialties, products, certifications and more. Be sure to look for the CSIA logo and/or the CSIA Certified logo when looking for a system integrator — the mark of a quality integrator! 

There are many benefits to working with a system integrator. Here are just a few. You can:

• Save on personnel costs. 
• Improve the quality and reliability of your integration project. 
• Ensure accountability for time and resources.
• Implement current industry standards in safety, environmental and modern technology. 
• Import the innovation and experience SIs have from working across industries. 
• Deploy the right skill set for project management and execution. 
• Reduce project risks. 
• Capture proper documentation for future reference. 
• Employ the best hardware and software for an application. 
• Gain expert technical staff on demand.

The CSIA Best Practices and Benchmarks manual (BP Manual) is the industry standard for successful management of a control system integration business.

It’s written by SIs for SIs and updated on a regular, continuous-improvement basis.

While comprehensive – it is not prescriptive – which means you will get the guidance you need to run a successful system integration business – from tip to tail – while you tailor your business to meet your needs.

It is only available to CSIA members.

The Best Practices Manual is only available to CSIA members. If your company is a CSIA member, you can download the manual at any time (log in required). If your company is not a member, you will need to join to access the manual.

No. You cannot buy the BP Manual. However, it is available for free to CSIA Members in good standing. 

The BP Manual is written and updated by the CSIA BP Manual Committee. The committee consists of volunteers who work in system integration companies – many of whom have been CSIA Certified and are seasoned SI professionals. The manual is vetted and beta tested before each release, as well as undergoes a continuous improvement process. 

The Committee welcomes new volunteers, but your company does need to be a CSIA member for you to participate on the committee.  

You can find more information about the BP Manual – including downloading the table of contents or a sample chapter, on the BP Manual page.

More information about the most recent update of the BP Manual is available on the BP Manual page.

CSIA Certification is proof that the CSIA Best Practices are implemented. CSIA Certified control system integrators meet the highest standards of business and management.

Technical proficiency alone is not enough. To grow and sustain a successful integration company that meets clients’ current and future requirements, integrators need to develop good business and management skills, in addition to technical knowledge.

If you are looking for a CSIA Certified system integrator, you can search the CSIA Industrial Automation Exchange — just use the CSIA Certified filter.

Most automation vendors have system integrator or solution provider programs that indicate an integrator’s technical qualifications on their products. Contact your vendors for information on their programs and the CSIA Certified system integrators they work with. Some suppliers require CSIA Certification to be recognized in the top tier of their system integrator programs.

CSIA Certification is a quality system focusing on the overall management of a system integration business. The certification audit is based on CSIA Best Practices, which is a blueprint specifically for management of a system integration company. 

Companies that  work with a CSIA Certified company are reasonably assured that the business is managed well and committed to long-term success. ISO certification focuses on customer satisfaction and the quality of products and services delivered. The two certifications are significantly different and serve different purposes.

CSIA allows certifying and recertifying companies to be audited remotely. All CSIA-certified auditors can conduct this process. There are advantages and disadvantages to choosing a remote audit compared to an on-site audit. Contact your auditor or the CSIA certification manager to discuss whether a remote audit or on-site audit is the best choice for your company.

The criteria in the audit are derived from the CSIA Best Practices and Benchmarks manual. From the manual’s complete set of guidelines, the auditors look at selected criteria that CSIA members and their clients consider necessary for operating a successful control systems integration company. The list includes many criteria that end users might not think of when selecting an integrator, such as disaster recovery plans, computer system backups and internal quality audits.

The first thing to do is to prepare for the audit. Here are some tips:

• Review the preparation documentation and guides.
• Understand the criteria in the CSIA Best Practices and Benchmarks manual.
• Verify that your internal processes and procedures are documented and meet the criteria.
• Have evidence of the implementation of the best practices criteria readily available.
• Attend the (optional) in-person Best Practices Workshop in conjunction with the CSIA conference.

Then, when you are ready, complete the Certification Application. CSIA staff will review to confirm eligibility and guide you on the next steps – including scheduling the audit. Note: You will want to complete the application several months prior to when you would like the audit to happen.  

If you opt for an on-site audit, be prepared to host the auditor in your facility — normally for one to two business days.

If you opt for a remote audit, prepare all of the technology required to complete a remote audit, including video-enabled conferencing platform.

CSIA manages the certification audit process. The association’s role is to train and authorize auditing firms, provide materials to support members preparing for the audit, and carry out administrative duties related to certification. Upon completion of an audit, CSIA will receive the results and will make the final certification decision.

However, the audit itself is conducted by a third party.

CSIA charges a modest certification fee to cover administration costs. CSIA staff will send an invoice after the Certification Application is approved.

There are also fees associated with audit-related services. All such fees are handled directly between you and the auditing company.

An on-site audit usually requires one to two business days. A remote audit will take the equivalent hours as one to two business days, but can be split up in segments that are favorable to both the SI and the auditor.

When you are ready to schedule an audit, the first step is to complete the Certification Application and return it to the CSIA office. The application will be reviewed to confirm eligibility. Assuming eligibility, CSIA staff will advise you as to the next steps.

Download Application

As soon as all CSIA-related paperwork is completed and your application is approved, CSIA staff will forward a copy of the completed Certification Application to the auditing company. The auditor will contact you to set up a service agreement and schedule the audit.

It’s a good idea to submit the completed Certification Application several months before the desired audit date so that all paperwork can be completed with adequate time allowed for scheduling the audit.

These guidelines apply whether the audit is for a certification or a renewal.

Every 3 years, CSIA Certified companies undertake the audit process to become recertified. This periodic review encourages CSIA Certified integrators to stay up to date with current business practices and focus on continuously improving their businesses.

To avoid any interruption to certified status, companies are responsible for having the audit completed by the expiration date.

When you are ready to schedule an audit for CSIA Certification renewal, complete the Certification Application and submit it to CSIA.

Download Application

CSIA is currently updating the Certification Management System (CMS). CSIA charges a certification fee for each audit to help cover the cost of managing the CMS. Scheduling an audit and audit payment remains between the auditor and you. If your company is ready to begin the recertification process, the first step is to complete the Certification Application.

Download Application

Some of the changes include:

•       Each section has undergone an extensive review for clarity and global significance.
•       Content throughout has been consolidated and reorganized.
•       New section on Business Ethics.
•       Risk Management updated to include cybersecurity attacks.
•       Human Resources Management updated to include drug screenings, authorization to work and non-compete agreements.
•       Proposal Development section added to list of auditable items.
•       Updates to reflect current state of technology and cybersecurity standards, such as ISA 27001, NIST Cybersecurity framework, as well as added requirements for the use of cloud services.

Any new applications for certification or recertifications after May 1, 2024, will use version 6.

The Certification Management System Manual provides an overview of the program and process.

Contact CSIA Certification Manager for more information.

To be a CSIA integrator member, you must:

• Be engaged in system integration primarily for design, programming and commissioning.
• Provide integration services primarily with your own personnel.
• Agree to comply with CSIA bylaws, rules and regulations.

To be a partner member of CSIA, you must be a:

• For-profit business entity that primarily manufactures and/or markets industrial automation products, control hardware or control software to multiple independent system integrators.
• Business that provides products or services to system integrators.

CSIA membership is by company. However, all employees of the member company can enjoy the benefits of being a CSIA member.

System integrator and partner members enjoy a full range of member benefits.

See SI Member Benefits See Partner Member Benefits

See Annual Dues Chart

No, CSIA membership is also available to vendors, or those companies that consider system integrators to be their customers. Vendor companies are called partner members. However, CSIA membership is not open to end users (the clients of system integrators).

Control system integrators are independent companies or independent divisions of larger entities that use industrial automation equipment and software from multiple automation manufacturers in the implementation of their projects.

To be a CSIA integrator member, you must:

• Be engaged in system integration primarily for design, programming and commissioning.
• Provide integration services primarily with your own personnel.
• Agree to comply with CSIA bylaws, rules and regulations.

To be a partner member of CSIA, you must be a:

• For-profit business entity that primarily manufactures and/or markets industrial automation products, control hardware or control software to multiple independent system integrators.
• Business that provides products or services to system integrators.

No, there is no discount for startups. The CSIA Board of Directors makes a point of keeping membership dues affordable and, thus, accessible to a wide range of businesses while ensuring dues are commensurate with company size.  In addition, CSIA has a policy that companies with less than $2 million in revenue and whose main office is located in one of the countries listed on the membership application as low-income, lower-middle income or upper-middle income qualify for a reduced rate. All other companies enjoy member benefits at the rates listed in the dues chart.  

See the Account Management section of the FAQs for instructions on how to renew your membership and pay your dues.

CSIA has partnered with ECBM Insurance Brokers and Consultants (ECBM) to design an insurance program for the automation and system integration market.  ECBM works with many automation and system integrators so they understand your unique business needs.

Insurance can help protect your bottom line. Insurance protects your business against unexpected legal fees, medical bills caused by work-related injuries, damaged goods from machinery failures and other unexpected interruptions that may be caused by the services you provide.

System integrators face a variety of risks, and common insurance coverages include: 

• General Liability: General liability (GL) insurance will protect your system integrator business from general risks, such as property damage and bodily injuries.  
• Professional Liability: Professional liability, also known as errors & omissions (E&O), insurance can protect your business from any lawsuits caused by mistakes or errors and omissions in your provided services. 
• Property & Casualty: Property insurance protects your business from common risks such as fire or other damages.
• Business interruption and extra expense:  Business interruption insurance can help replace lost income if your business is forced to close due to property damage or other exposures.  This coverage can also help pay for relocation costs, bills, payroll and other expenses while repairs are being made. 
• Workers’ compensation:  Workers’ compensation (WC) covers medical costs for work-related injuries and illnesses for your employees. In the U.S., WC insurance is mandatory for most companies. Required employers that choose not to purchase WC insurance can face lawsuits or very hefty fines from the state regulatory bodies.  

Yes. CSIA members can purchase a suite of coverages including all exposures mentioned above and additional coverages, such as auto, cyber, international exposures, crime, etc., all through the partnership with ECBM.

ECBM offers a variety of coverages; contact the ECBM team to find the best coverage for you or your business’ needs.

ECBM’s rates are extremely competitive to what you may see in the standard insurance marketplace, but there are pre-negotiated coverages that are provided that the standard marketplace doesn’t offer as standard or may not be able to provide. Additionally, ECBM has the expertise and service level that other programs may not have.

The cost of control system integrator insurance varies per company. Premiums are based on your annual revenues, location count, property values and employee count.

The entire insurance industry is facing increased rates, due to inflation, supply chain issues, as well as other global and economic issues. Working with an experienced broker can help lower these costs by evaluating your risks, combining policies where it makes sense and finding the best carrier at the best cost.

If you are ready to talk to a broker, contact Tim Fox at tfox@ecbm.com Be sure to mention that you are a CSIA member to take advantage of the CSIA Insurance Plan.

Contact a broker

The CSIA Industrial Automation Exchange is a digital marketplace where system integrators (SIs), industry suppliers and manufacturers can connect and do business. It is hosted and produced by the Control System Integrators Association. 

You can filter by CSIA members and/or CSIA Member or CSIA Certified, but the directory also has companies that are not CSIA members so that it can be as comprehensive as possible to serve the industry.

Learn More Explore the Exchange

Any system integrator or industrial automation vendor can join the Exchange at no charge. This free listing will include your company name, address and phone number.

Join the Exchange

If you want to include more information, such as a website address or a contact, you will need to upgrade your profile. Profile upgrades are available to anyone — you do not need to be a CSIA member to have an upgraded profile on the Exchange.

However, CSIA members receive discounts on profile upgrades.

CSIA members also automatically get a profile upgrade — to the Bronze level —  included as part of their membership.

Most companies find that a Gold profile or higher (a package) is the best value.

Learn More

The CSIA Industrial Automation Exchange ranks No. 1 in search results for a number of keywords that users will use to look for system integrators. The Exchange also draws more than 100K page views per year and is the only online marketplace where system integrators, vendors and end users connect and do business.

The B2B buyer’s journey is complicated and includes extensive online research — you want to make sure you are where your buyers are.

Why Join the Exchange

If you want to add your company to the CSIA Exchange, contact CSIA staff.

Join the Exchange

If your company is a CSIA member, then your company profile on the Exchange will automatically be upgraded to the Bronze level — which means you can add content to help potential business partners connect with you.

However, most companies upgrade (at a CSIA-member discounted price) to a Gold profile or to a package because of the additional benefits — such as popping to the top in searches as well as unlimited contacts and tags (the keywords that will let the system know to serve up your company in a search).

Explore More Why Upgrade on the Exchange Compare Plans

If your company is a CSIA member, then your company profile on the Exchange will automatically be upgraded to the Bronze level — which means you can add content to help potential business partners connect with you.

However, most companies upgrade (at a CSIA-member discounted price) to a Gold profile or to a package because of the additional benefits — such as popping to the top in searches as well as unlimited contacts and tags (the keywords that will let the system know to serve up your company in a search).

Explore More Why Upgrade on the Exchange Compare Plans

If your company profile information is not correct, you can log into the Exchange and make updates for most content. The exception is company information and company contacts. You will need admin privileges to make changes to the company contacts. See tutorial below.

Here is a tutorial on how to make updates to your Exchange company profile:

Here is a tutorial on how to make changes to the company contacts:

If you can not log in, contact staff.

Contact Staff

If your company profile information is not complete, you can log into the Exchange and make changes for most fields. The exception is company information and contacts. You will need admin privileges to make changes to the company contacts. 

Note: The amount of content you can add will depend on the profile level your company has — the higher the profile level the more content you can add.

CSIA members are automatically upgraded to a Bronze level, but many organizations find that a Gold profile or package works better for them.

Learn More Why Upgrade on the Exchange Upgrade Your Profile

If you are looking for some general guidance on the Open Forums, this User Guide is a good place to start. However, note that you cannot register for the Forums, you must be a CSIA member and have log in credentials to access the Open Forums.

Open Forums Users Guide Contact Staff

The Open Forum platform allows you to subscribe only to the topics you are interested in.

1. Be sure you are logged into the CSIA Website.
   
2. Browse the Open Forums and decide which ones you are interested in.
   
3. Click on the Open Forum you’d like to subscribe to. When you get to the page of the Forum you selected, for example, Announcements, you can scroll down to the bottom of the list, where you will see an option to subscribe. (This screenshot shows that the subscriber has subscribed to all the forums. But you do not have to subscribe to all of the forums.)
   
4. You can also manage when you get notified of new posts.
   
5. Do NOT fill out the Keep me in the Loop form — unless you want to be added to the general CSIA mailing list. Likely, you are already on the mailing list if you are a CSIA member.
   

   For more detail instructions, visit the User’s Guide.

   Open Forums Users Guide Contact Staff

Yes, you must be a CSIA member to attend the CSIA Conference. CSIA may make an exception for companies that have never attended the conference — contact staff to see if you quality.

Yes, only CSIA member companies can exhibit during the CSIA Conference Industry Expo.

The CSIA Conference includes an Industry Expo, usually held the first day in the late afternoon. The event is reception style, with appetizers and refreshments, and an emphasis on networking. There are no booths, but exhibitors do have kiosks, with signage for branding and small ledge to hold a laptop and some literature or a small amount of swag. Only CSIA members can exhibit during the Industry Expo. The cost varies year to year, for 2025, the cost of a kiosk is $2300. Conference registration is separate.

Explore Marketing Opportunities Learn More About the Conference