Negotiating CRADAs

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) are arrangements between a federal agency, in the form of a government-owned laboratory (either government or contractor-operated) and another party, often referred to as a “collaborator.” CRADAs facilitate the transfer of technology from the federal government to the private sector by making available government facilities, intellectual property, and expertise in collaboration with industry and other types of entities. These agreements are intended to lead to the development of commercial products. The chief benefit of a CRADA to a collaborator is that it may obtain rights to the intellectual property that is produced by the joint research and development effort. In return, the federal laboratory receives resources that advance its research and development mission. To successfully negotiate a CRADA, prospective collaborators must understand what a CRADA is, how it is structured, and the issues that need to