Policies & Procedures

About Research Administration at GSU

Policies and Procedures for Research and Sponsored Programs

Policies and Procedures for Research and Sponsored Programs

Material Transfer Agreements

Background

Many investigators wish to receive and use materials that may become available for their research, but are proprietary to the developing organization or institution.  Offers to use new biological materials, non-production software or chemical compounds usually require the Principal Investigator and a Georgia Southern Authorized Official to and execute a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA).  Sometimes these conditions are also incorporated within a Confidentiality Agreement. 

Procedure

MTA's regularly include conditions for control of the proprietary information, future intellectual property rights, insurance and indemnification and/or other limitations. Often these are terms which conflict with the terms of a sponsored agreement under which the research is being conducted.  Therefore, the ORSSP is responsible for reviewing and approving these agreements.  When investigators choose to make their materials available to others they should contact their ORSSP Grant Coordinator, who will make the need known to the Associate Vice President for Research.  The Associate Vice President for Research, as Executive Director of the Georgia Southern University Research and Service Foundation, is responsible for the licensing and use of Georgia Southern intellectual property.