What is a Cooperative

Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)?

The Air Force Cooperative

Research & Development Agreement Program

CRADAs...

A CRADA is any agreement between one or more federal laboratories and one or more non-federal parties under which the Government, through its labs, provides personnel, services, facilities, equipment, or other resources with or without reimbursement (but not funds to non-federal parties) and the non-federal parties provide funds, personnel, services, facilities, equipment or other resources toward the conduct of specified research and development (R&D) efforts which are consistent with the missions of the laboratories.

Since they are not a procurement contract (the government does not provide funding for services or products), complex military procurement can be avoided. A CRADA can be effectuated simply and in a timely manner.

CRADAs provide an easy way for industry and nonprofit organizations such as academia to collaborate with Air Force R&D activities to facilitate technology transfer for the technological and financial benefits of both parties.

Intellectual property created under a CRADA can be exclusively exploited by the collaborator for commercial uses, while the government may retain a license to use the technology for government purposes.

A typical CRADA includes a number of standard provisions, based on policy guidance and a model agreement adopted by the Air Force. These include:

Research, development, and . . .

• Commercialization efforts contemplated for each party
• Contributions by the parties of equipment, facilities, personnel, and nongovernmental funding if appropriate
• Confidentiality
• Publication of results
• Copyright, inventions, ownership and patent prosecution
• Licensing
• Division of responsibility

BENEFITS

Collaboration under a CRADA results in a number of mutual benefits for the participating parties such as effective and efficient use of personnel, facilities, financial resources, and technological know-how through a team effort. The end result of a CRADA is the expeditious transfer of technology into the commercial sector.

The Air Force benefits by:

• Improved opportunities to develop and transfer technology
• Accelerated interaction with industry to transfer basic research findings to the commercial development process.
• Increased familiarity with market needs
• Sharing of royalty income with inventors and laboratory

The collaborating organization benefits by:

• Improved access to Air Force scientists and facilities
• Better access to expertise related to research results and inventions made under the CRADA
• Profitable new products and processes

For additional information about Cooperative Research and Development Agreements take a look at some of the CRADA Project Stories Wright Technology Network has done. If you have any questions about CRADAs or are interested in getting more information about CRADA projects, please contact Jim Singer at Wright Technology Network (937) 253-0217 or [email protected].

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