The IRC is structured as a collaborative of interested industry stakeholders. In this consortium arrangement, members pool their resources for common benefits.

Consortium members also have the opportunity to pursue customized projects and training on a cost-recovery basis, separate from the pooled consortium funds.

An advisory council made up of representatives from member companies guides the overall scope of activities, monitors IRC operations, and provides feedback to the IRC director for quality improvement. the council receives semi-annual briefings on Center activities, and council members provide input to establishing the research plan and the overall priorities of the Center.

The IRC is supported by member contributions according to the following annual dues structure:

Class	Rate	Number of Plants	Fee Limit
End-user	$200 per 1000 lbs*	1 - 10	$10,000
		11 - 20	$20,000
		21 and higher	$30,000
Ammonia Handler	$2,000 per terminal	Storage Terminals	$20,000
Service Provider	Service Companies, Insurance Companies Regulatory Agencies, Institutional		$10,000
*Charge of refrigerant in systems on plant site(s) (lb)

For food processors, cold storage warehouses, and other refrigeration end-users, the benefits of participating in the IRC increase with the size of the organization. To match the membership fees to the benefits received, and to encourage smaller companies to participate, fees are scaled to company size, as measured by the total pounds of refrigerant contained in the user's refrigeration system(s).

Ammonia storage facilities, whose product is used as the refrigerant, have a very high inventory of refrigerant relative to the size of the refrigeration plants. We have established a separate membership class for these users.

For service providers, regulatory officials and institutional members, the membership benefits are less dependent on size, and we have established a single membership class for these groups.