Transfer Research Material or Data

Material/Data Transfer Agreement (MTA/DTA) is an agreement between UC Davis and one or more outside entities, (e.g., another university, a company, or a non-profit organization), that covers the transfer of proprietary tangible research materials, and/or the transfer of any data and information.  These agreements are important to preserve rights and set expectations between the parties involved.

A typical MTA/DTA will include terms that cover:

  • Allowable uses of the materials and other materials that may be created through the use of the transferred materials
  • Publication rights and procedures
  • Inventions and intellectual property rights
  • Confidentiality terms
  • What should be done with the materials after the research is completed
  • Other standard terms and conditions

Request an Material Transfer Agreement

 

Material Transfer Agreement Process

The UC Davis Technology Transfer Office has the authority to negotiate and execute these agreements for UC Davis. Most MTA/DTAs must also be signed by the Principal investigator (PI). In many cases, the Technology Transfer Office must negotiate the terms of the agreement with the other institution to ensure the agreement is consistent with The Regents’ principles and policies, federal laws and guidelines and to preserve the PI’s rights as well.

For example, every MTA/DTA that UC Davis executes must be in harmony with some or all of the following:

When a UC Davis PI needs to send materials or data to another researcher outside UC Davis, Technology Transfer Office will draft and negotiate the agreement.  When a PI needs to receive materials or data from an outside entity, Technology Transfer Office may need to work with the agreement provided by of outside entity that will provide the materials/data.  Usually, these provided agreements take longer to negotiate to bring them into compliance with UC’s terms.

To request an MTA/DTA, please access our Inventor Portal using your UC Davis credentials (i.e., the same username and passphrase you use for all other UC Davis accounts). If you have not previously accessed the Inventor Portal, you will be directed to a webpage asking you to enter your UC Davis email address. If your email address is found in our system, your profile page will be displayed allowing you to verify the information in our records. If your email address is not found in our system, you will be asked to provide some information. After obtaining access to the Inventor Portal, you can request an agreement by completing the agreement request fields. Please be prepared to enter the name of the scientist you are working with and a legal contact person. Please also attach any relevant documentation. You’ll be able to check the status of your agreement request right on the portal, and when the agreement has been finalized, copies of the executed agreement will be available on your account. Although most MTAs/DTAs are completed within 60 days, it is important that you plan ahead as some MTAs need more extensive negotiations. UC is also signatory to the Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement (UBMTA) which enables UC Davis to transfer materials with numerous other universities and nonprofit organizations quickly by using a standard letter agreement. If you have any questions or experience any issues with the portal, please email [email protected] for assistance. When you submit a request, it will be assigned to analyst with whom you can communicate directly regarding any questions you may have.

Request an Material Transfer Agreement

Additional Information

  • Loans of equipment, whether for commercial or research use, are done through Materiel Management to ensure they are covered by university insurance. For more information on equipment loan agreements, go here.
  • MTAs or DTAs involving human subjects or human materials may require an Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval or Exemption, or Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee (SCRO) approval for stem cell lines.
  • UC is a signatory to the Uniform Biological Material Transfer Agreement (UBMTA), established by the NIH in 1995. When exchanging materials with other institutions who have signed on to the program, the contract process can be simple and fast. (UBMTA agreements must be prepared and signed by UC Davis Technology Transfer Office.)
  • Several units at UC Davis are authorized to negotiate and sign confidentiality agreements, also known as CDAs, non-disclosure agreements or secrecy agreements.

Questions?

If you have any questions or if you need additional information, please contact us.