Research Support Agreements
Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) and Confidentiality or Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) are Research Support Agreements that are designed to ensure protection of your research or to protect information or materials obtained from an external source.
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Material Transfer Agreements (MTA)
A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is a legal document that defines the basis upon which you may have access to biological or chemical compounds (ranging from specific molecules, such as pharmaceuticals, nucleotides or proteins, to biological research tools such as cell cultures, cell lines, plasmids, transgenic plants or animals). The MTA controls the use of transferred materials when material is sent or received by the University of Ottawa.
Please note that while the Investigator must co-sign as the responsible researcher, only TTBE has the authority to sign MTAs on behalf of the University.
MTAs involving transgenic animals must be signed by the Director, Animal Care and Veterinary Services to confirm that all constraints on the use of the transgenic animal can be addressed within ACVS.
- RECEIVING Materials from an External Partner
If you wish to RECEIVE Material, the external institution or organization should provide you with an MTA. If you have received an MTA from this group, please forward the document to TTBE for review. If you have not received an MTA, TTBE will prepare a draft MTA. TTBE will review the proposed MTA and contact you if more information is required.
TTBE will negotiate directly with the other institution or organization to finalize the MTA, but will copy the researcher on all correspondence
Once the terms of the MTA have been agreed to, the MTA will be circulated for signatures
Once the MTA has been fully executed, you will receive a copy of the signed MTA
- SENDING Materials to an External Partner
If you wish to SEND Material to another organization, please advise TTBE of the nature of the request/material transfer. TTBE will prepare a draft MTA based on the document available online and will contact you if more information is required.
TTBE will negotiate directly with the other institution or organization to finalize the MTA, but will copy the researcher on all correspondence
Once the terms of the MTA have been agreed to, the MTA will be circulated for signatures
Once the MTA has been fully executed, you will receive a copy of the signed MTA
Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
NDAs are research Contracts between the University of Ottawa and outside parties. A University of Ottawa research discovery or technology may be disclosed to another person, organization or company provided there is a confidentiality or Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) between the University and the organization (or person) to which the invention is disclosed. NDAs provide evidence of the receiving party’s obligation to keep the information in confidence. These are usually simple agreements and can be obtained from TTBE. Critical to the effectiveness of these agreements is the definition of the scope of the scope of research or technology covered.
An example of a two-way NDA is available online.
Please contact TTBE if you require an NDA, as only TTBE has the authority to sign NDAs on behalf of the University.
TBE will assist you in adapting an NDA to suit your requirements. Please contact TTBE immediately if an external party provides you with an NDA so that we can ensure that your rights to future IP development will be protected.
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