Partnership agreements
There are several different types of partnership agreements. Make sure you contact the PIPs team to discuss which agreement best fits your needs.
Confidential non-disclosure agreements
Confidential non-disclosure agreements (commonly referred to as CDAs or NDAs) facilitate the secure exchange of proprietary and confidential information among parties. CDAs are crucial for researchers and companies seeking to discuss potential research collaborations while safeguarding their intellectual and proprietary property. CDAs impose an obligation on the recipient of the discloser’s information to maintain its confidentiality and prevent its unauthorized use.
Service agreements
Under our service agreement model at Concordia University, services are offered on a pay-for-service basis for research-related activity that is of a routine nature and requires minimal supervision or input by the Concordia researcher.
The services provided may include the use of established testing protocols, analytical services, the use of existing research tools without modifications, and the application of expertise to achieve definite outcomes. The client largely determines the scope and nature of the work, and it is generally understood that the services are unlikely to result in patentable inventions.
Deliverables generally take the form of a report with minimal interpretation of the data acquired or produced during the services. The results will be owned by the client.
Guidelines for student researchers in service agreements
You should approach involving students in service agreements with caution as the tasks they are assigned often do not relate to their thesis research. These agreements might also grant the sponsor ownership of any outputs and impose publication and ownership restrictions. These conditions can potentially hinder the academic advancement of your students.
Services at Concordia are generally preformed by lab technicians, students or research assistants. It is important to note that a salary is the only form of remuneration eligible under a service agreement, though Concordia researchers may also claim a small honorarium.
Service agreements vs research agreements
Service agreements operate under a pay-for-service model, where specific, well-defined work requested by a client is performed. On the other hand, sponsored research agreements allow the principal investigator to primarily define the scope of work, project plan, and budget. The objective of sponsored research is to contribute to the advancement of knowledge within the field and to ensure the results are publicly disseminated.
Materials transfer agreements
A material transfer agreement (MTA) is a legal document between the supplier of a material and the recipient. This agreement grants a license to the recipient to use proprietary material and clarifies the terms of use for all parties involved.
An MTA provides the recipient with a license to use proprietary materials and clarifies for both parties the terms regarding the use of the materials and any limitations. MTAs address issues such as the ownership of derivatives and modifications, the transfer of risks, usage restrictions, confidentiality concerning the material and rights related to inventions or research findings that arise from the material's use.
You may use funds from research agreements to purchase materials if they are essential to the project and if the expenses are allowed under the budget approved by the primary sponsor.
Yes, students can engage in research activities using these materials under the supervision of the principal investigator. All individuals involved in the project must review the MTA and sign an intervention or acknowledgment form before accessing the materials.
Yes, our team must review all research-related MTAs to ensure they comply with university policies.
Only individuals designated as authorized signatories can execute MTAs on behalf of the university. Typically, this authority lies with the vice-president of Research and Graduate Studies or their delegate. Coordination for obtaining the necessary signatures is managed through the Partnerships, intellectual property and security team.
Sponsored research & collaboration agreements
Sponsored research and collaboration agreements (SRAs) set the framework for various research partnerships between the university and external sponsors. These agreements provide a detailed framework of the rights and responsibilities of each party. Typically, SRAs cover the following elements:
Description, scope and duration of the project
List of eligible expenses
Details on budget commitments and payment timetables
Requirements for reports, milestones and expected deliverables
Guidelines on confidentiality, intellectual property, publication rights and additional considerations
All SRAs need to undergo a review by the PIPS team to ensure compliance and alignment with university policies.
Signatures and intervention/acknowledgment forms
Concordia’s policy mandates that principal investigators (PIs) and co-principal investigators (Co-PIs) are responsible for ensuring that their research agreements are thoroughly reviewed and formally executed by the university. As a PI or co-PI, you will be required to sign an acknowledgment or intervention form to confirm your understanding of the terms and conditions of the research agreement and that you accept the obligations made on your behalf by the university. Some agreements require an assignment of rights in the project’s intellectual property to the university so Concordia is able to grant the appropriate licenses under the research agreement.
After a research agreement is in place, all Concordia University project participants are required to sign an internal, standalone intervention/acknowledgment to the research agreement. This document ensures that all project participants are aware of their obligations under the research agreement and/or sponsor’s guidelines (i.e. use of project information, publication rights and intellectual property).
The intervention/acknowledgment form may also include an assignment of rights of the project’s intellectual property to the university. It is your responsibility as PI to ensure that all Concordia project participants sign their respective intervention/acknowledgment form and forward it to the PIPS team.