A CRADA is a written agreement between one or more federal laboratories and one or more non-federal parties to work together on research and/or development. Under a CRADA, the parties agree to provide the personnel, facilities, equipment or other resources to conduct specific research and/or development efforts that are consistent with the agency's mission. CRADAs protect each party’s intellectual property. Each party retains all intellectual property it has developed while jointly developing new intellectual property. It should be noted that while federal laboratories may receive funds from the non-federal partner(s) in a CRADA, they are not allowed to provide funds to non-federal partners.

EPAs are formal agreements between a DoD Laboratory and an educational institution or any other nonprofit institutions dedicated to improving science, mathematics, business, law, technology transfer or transition and engineering education, to transfer and/or enhance technology applications and provide technology assistance for all levels of education. Through the EPA, the laboratory can loan equipment, declare as surplus and transfer (donate) equipment, make laboratory personnel available to teach or assist in developing courses, involve faculty and students in research, etc. (10 U.S.C. § 2194)

(5) The terms “federal laboratory” and “laboratory” have the meaning given the term “laboratory” in section 12(d)(2) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a(d)(2)), except that such terms include a federally funded research and development center sponsored by a federal agency.

The Armaments Center’s IR&D/TIM process fosters communication between industry and the Armaments Center while advancing the “Better Buying Power 3.0” initiatives. Through the IR&D/TIM process, the Armaments Center and its PEO/PM customers work together to determine needs and identify compatible and competent industry partners that are able to address these needs. The Armaments Center clearly communicates the requirement gaps to matching industry partners at precisely the most productive moment: prior to their future year IR&D project planning cycle. These targeted communications encourage unique partnerships with companies focusing in technology areas with the most potential impact to the Army’s needs.
For information on IR&D/TIM, please e-mail: usarmy.pica.ccdc-ac.mbx.ir-and-d@mail.mil
Phone: (973) 724-6043/9398/7953

An “Other Transaction Agreement” or “Other Transaction Authority” is a streamlined vehicle that brings innovative research findings and state-of-the-art prototypes from industry to the federal government. OT-based collaborations are not subject to some of the regulations that apply to Federal Acquisition Regulation-based acquisitions. OTAs enable fast acquisition of critically needed technologies in areas as diverse as shipbuilding, armaments, satellites, medical devices, and electromagnetic spectrum technologies.

• To learn more about OTAs via the DoD Ordnance Technology Consortium/National Armaments Consortium, please visit HERE.
• To view the most recent OTA Guide, please visit the Defense Acquisition Guide to Other Transactions HERE.

The Armaments Center may enter into partnership intermediary agreements with state and local government organizations, as well as certain non-profit entities, in order to increase the likelihood of successful cooperative activities between our laboratory, small businesses, and educational institutions. Through contracts and memoranda of understanding, these partnership intermediaries work closely with CCDC Armaments Center to identify federal technologies that can be commercialized or licensed. These partnership intermediaries also counsel small businesses and educational institutions on productive uses for technology and technical assistance available from federal laboratories. See also 15 U.S.C. § 3715 and 10 U.S.C. § 2368.

A partnership intermediary means an agency of a state or local government, or a nonprofit entity described by 15 U.S.C. § 3715, that has entered into a partnership intermediary agreement with a federal laboratory. Partnership intermediaries provide services to federal laboratories that increase the likelihood of successful cooperative activities with small businesses and educational institutions. This includes assisting, counseling, advising, evaluating, and otherwise cooperating with small businesses and educational institutions in order to find productive uses for federal laboratory technology. See also 15 U.S.C. § 3715 and 10 U.S.C. § 2368.

The Armaments Center has the authority to license its intellectual property rights on behalf of the government. A PLA can be granted on patents already issued or applications filed by the government under an exclusive, partially exclusive or non-exclusive basis. The purpose of a PLA is to commercialize federally owned technology for the benefit of the U.S. economy. See our Patents section at the bottom of our T2 Page HERE for more on Armaments Center intellectual property.

The Armaments Center’s engineering expertise, and over 100 unique laboratory and testing facilities, are a national asset available to help both our nation's military industrial base and the private sector supporting our nation’s economy. Government laboratories may make available to any person or entity, at a prescribed fee, the services of the government facility for the testing of materials, equipment, models, computer and the facilities, services, and equipment of the government laboratory, if the facilities, services, and equipment provided will not be in direct competition with the domestic private sector (Engineering Service Agreement). A TSA should be used if the service is to be provided by the laboratory with no technical collaboration by the partner. Under a TSA, the services performed must legitimately be the testing of materials, equipment, models, computer software, or other items. A TSA is not appropriate for research studies or investigations, nor does it authorize the sale of products, only services. The only limitation on participants for TSAs and ESAs is that they may not be agencies of foreign governments. (10 U.S.C. § 2539b)
If you are interested in Armament Center facilities for purposes of a TSA or ESA, Please visit our Facilities Site HERE.

The Armaments Center fosters and encourages submission of unsolicited proposals that offer unique and innovative technological promise to accomplish its mission. An unsolicited proposal is defined in FAR 2.101 as "a written proposal for a new or innovative idea that is submitted to an agency on the initiative of the offeror for the purpose of obtaining a contract with the government, and that is not in response to a request for proposals, Broad Agency Announcement, Small Business Innovation Research topic, Small Business Technology Transfer Research topic, Program Research and Development Announcement, or any other government-initiated solicitation or program." Advertising material, commercial item offers, or contributions, as defined in 15.601, or routine correspondence on technical issues, are not unsolicited proposals. Generally speaking, a valid unsolicited proposal must---

1. Describe an innovative and unique product/process;
2. Be independently originated and developed by the offer or
3. Be prepared without government supervision, endorsement, direction, or direct government involvement;
4. Include sufficient detail to permit a determination that government support could be worthwhile and the proposed work could benefit the agency's research and development or other mission responsibilities;
5. Not be an advance proposal for a known agency requirement that can be acquired by competitive methods, and
6. Not address a previously published agency requirement.

To submit unsolicited proposals, please e-mail: usarmy.pica.ccdc-ac.mbx.tilo@mail.mil