CRADA (Cooperative Research And Development Agreement)

What is CRADA (Cooperative Research And Development Agreement)?

A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) is a written agreement between a federal agency and a private company or university to work together on a research and development (R&D) project. The goal is to leverage the resources and expertise of both parties for mutual benefit, accelerating innovation and technology transfer.

Definition

A CRADA is authorized under the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 and the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986. These agreements are not procurement contracts; the government is not purchasing goods or services. Instead, they are collaborative partnerships where the government provides personnel, facilities, equipment, or other resources, but generally does not provide funding to the private entity. The private entity contributes its own resources, expertise, and potentially funding. CRADAs are crucial because they facilitate the commercialization of government-developed technologies and allow government agencies to benefit from private sector innovation.

Key Points

• Collaborative Research: CRADAs are designed to foster collaboration and information exchange between federal laboratories and private entities. The focus is on joint research and development activities.
• No Direct Federal Funding: Typically, the government does not provide direct funding to the private entity under a CRADA, although in-kind contributions are common.
• Intellectual Property Management: The agreement outlines how intellectual property rights are handled, including inventions, patents, and data generated during the collaboration. This is a critical aspect of the negotiation.
• Commercialization Focus: A key objective of a CRADA is to facilitate the transfer of technology and the commercialization of research findings. This benefits both the government and the private sector.

Practical Examples

1. Developing New Materials: A government lab specializing in materials science partners with a manufacturing company to develop a new composite material with improved strength and heat resistance. The government provides access to its specialized testing equipment, while the company provides expertise in manufacturing processes.
2. Software Development: A federal agency responsible for cybersecurity collaborates with a software company to develop a new algorithm for detecting and preventing cyber threats. The government contributes its threat intelligence data, and the company contributes its software development expertise.
3. Biomedical Research: A National Institutes of Health (NIH) lab partners with a pharmaceutical company to research and develop a new drug therapy for a specific disease. The NIH provides its research facilities and expertise in drug discovery, while the company provides its expertise in clinical trials and drug commercialization.