Template Agreements

Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)

Consistent with academic tradition, the sharing of research materials serves to build and expand knowledge. However, the transfer of research materials carries responsibilities that should be recognized and respected by both providers and recipients of these materials. Assurance of these responsibilities are recorded in material transfer agreements. These agreements govern the transfer of such tangible materials as biological materials (cell lines, plasmids, antibodies and vectors), animal models, compounds, equipment, software and any resulting developments or derivations of such materials. Typical terms of an MTA define acceptable use of the material, ownership of the original material and any resulting derivatives, publication rights, intellectual property rights, and liability. These agreements also serve as a valuable tool in meeting federal export control requirements for the transfer of materials among international collaborators.

ECU’s Office of Licensing and Commercialization has delegated authority for negotiation and signature of MTAs. The office also has a long standing reputation for efficient handling of incoming and outgoing MTAs.

Incoming Materials: Any incoming research materials requiring signature of an MTA should be directed to Innovation and New Ventures.
Outgoing Materials: Any transfer of ECU research materials to entities outside of ECU should be accompanied by an MTA.
Agreement for the Transfer of Materials Between ECU and other Institutions
Agreement for the Transfer of Materials Between ECU and Industry

Confidential Disclosure Agreements (CDA; also referred to as a Non-Disclosure Agreement or NDA)

Collaborations with industry, institutions, non-profits, and/or individuals may require that confidential information be shared with the parties. Confidential disclosure agreements are a legal contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes but wish to restrict access to.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

A document that describes the broad outlines of an agreement that two or more parties have reached. MOUs communicate the mutually accepted expectations of all of the parties involved in a negotiation. MOUs should be reviewed by the Office of University Counsel.

Data Use Agreement

An agreement that discusses the ownership, protection, use, and sharing of the data, dataset, and/or database generated during a research study. Data Use Agreements should be reviewed by Becky Welch, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration & Compliance.

License Agreement

An agreement that grants the licensee certain right(s) to the property. Upon granting these rights the sponsor typically receives something in return such as a license fee, royalty, equity, sublicense fees, etc.. License right(s) can be related to a product/material, service or process, and may include intellectual property rights. License agreements may be exclusive or non-exclusive. License agreements should be reviewed by the Office of Licensing and Commercialization.

Delegations for Contract Signature Authority

Did you know that only certain ECU officials are allowed to sign contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, confidentiality agreements, licenses, options, material transfer agreements and other documents? Check contract signature authorization before signing.

Patent Agreement and Assignment

All ECU employees must complete the Patent Agreement and Assignment form. This form will become part of their employee record. Graduate and undergraduate students that plan to perform research under the direction of an ECU employee or use an exceptional use of university resources should complete the Patent Agreement and Assignment form at the following link – https://eastcarolinauniversity.formstack.com/forms/patent_agreement_and_assignment .