Description
A Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) is a written agreement between one or more Federal laboratories and one or more non-Federal parties under which the Government, through its laboratories, provides personnel, facilities, equipment or other resources with or without reimbursement (but not funds to non-Federal parties). The non-Federal parties provide personnel, funds, services, facilities, equipment or other resources to conduct specific research or development efforts that are consistent with the agency's mission. CRADAs are authorized by the Technology Transfer Act of 1986 (15 USC 3710a) as amended.
Authority - Army Regulation 70-57, Military-Civilian Technology Transfer, 26 February 2004
When a CRADA is Appropriate
CRADAs allow ERDC researchers to exchange technical expertise with non-Federal partners, and to accept reimbursement for research conducted under the CRADA. CRADAs also protect a researcher's rights and those of ERDC to inventions the researcher may make. CRADAs are appropriate when ideas, staff, materials, equipment is to be exchanged over a period of time for the purpose of collaboration and/or an invention may result. Money can be provided to ERDC under a CRADA.
Who May Participate in CRADAs
CRADAs must involve at least one non-federal party. In addition to ERDC scientists, the other participants in a CRADA may be one or more of the following:
- Private corporations (US or foreign)
- Nonprofit and not-for-profit institutions (US or foreign)
- State, local, and tribal governments (US)
- Other Federal agencies (US)