Research project negotiations
Contract Negotiations ensures conformity with university, agency, federal and state policies and regulations and is responsible for obtaining the authorized signature for research-related agreements. The office does not provide legal advice.
Contract Negotiations can assist you with the following types of sponsored research agreements and funding contracts:
- Grant agreements
- Cooperative agreements
- Federal contracts for research
- Sponsored research agreements to facilitate your research project
Contract Negotiations forms + documents
The exchange of data that requires special care is a common part of the research process, especially with respect to health and educational information. Exchanges of data that require special care may be governed by a Data Use Agreement (DUA or DTUA). KU engages in research-related DUAs through the Contract Negotiations division. A special type of DUA particular to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).
Material transfers are a common part of the research process, and transfers are typically governed by a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA). KU engages in research-related MTAs on a regular basis through the Contract Negotiations division.
The exchange of confidential information is a common part of the research process, especially with industry partners. Any given exchange of confidential information is typically governed by a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) or Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA). KU engages in research-related NDAs and CDAs through the Contract Negotiations division.
Generally, sponsors provide their own template when sponsoring your research using an agreement. If you've received a sponsored research agreement, please forward it to Contract Negotiations.
Occasionally, sponsors will request that Contract Negotiations draft an agreement on their behalf. If your sponsor has requested that KU draft the agreement, please submit a Sponsored Research Agreement Request.
Occasionally, the terms of a proposal will require that KU enter into a Teaming Agreement with a proposal partner. Please contact Contract Negotiations if your proposal requires a Teaming Agreement.
A contract should not be entered into lightly. It is a legally binding document that should reflect accurately the intentions and expectations of all stakeholders involved. In some situations, there may be groups or individuals at KU in addition to Contract Negotiations and the research team that need to review and weigh in on certain aspects. Research contracts often take considerable amounts of time to work through. In addition to Contract Negotiations staff, it is the responsibility of each researcher to read in full the entire contract with an eye toward terms and conditions that may impact the proposed research project.