What is a CRADA?
The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) is one of the principal mechanisms used by federal laboratories to engage in collaborative efforts with non-federal partners to achieve the goals of technology transfer. The CRADA, which is not an acquisition or procurement vehicle, is designed to be a relatively easy mechanism to implement, requiring less time and effort to initiate than previous methods for working with non-government organizations. The CRADA is also intended to take into account the needs and desires of private industry when commercializing a product. Because each agency and laboratory is free to develop its own CRADA model, technology transfer personnel must ensure that they utilize their agencys specific wording and format for CRADAs.
