What is a CRADA?

A CRADA provides a way for public and private partners to engage in collaborative research and development with DOE laboratories for the mutual benefit of both parties. Under a CRADA:

• The Lab and the Partner may share costs or the Partner may pay the 100% of the costs
• The Lab and the Partner may elect to own inventions
• The Partner has the right to negotiate exclusive license(s) to Lab inventions
• The data generated can be protected for up to five years

A CRADA defines and governs the collaborative research relationship with the objective of advancing science and technology that not only benefits DOE and the nation, but also has potential commercial applications of interest to our industrial partners.

CRADA opportunities provide industry with an excellent way to leverage and optimize research and development funds, and conduct research that might not otherwise be possible in a protected and confidential environment. With such a collaborative agreement, the DOE and private industry may jointly sponsor a project that contributes to the goals of each participating party, leveraging research efforts by both the Laboratory and the partner(s) involved.

PPPL­­­ and its partner(s) outside the federal government — usually from industry, nonprofit organizations, or academia — collaborate and share the results of a jointly conducted R&D project. Costs, personnel, facilities, equipment, or research capabilities are usually cost-shared for mutual benefit.

Companies are able to retain rights to their own inventions made under a CRADA and may be granted an option to PPPL inventions. Intellectual property created by PPPL under a CRADA agreement is retained by PPPL.