**Northern Plains Area Cooperative Relationships when it involves
Research with No Funds to ARS:**

The proposed research must support the mission of ARS; be of mutual
interest to all parties; supplement the program(s) of the scientist and
unit performing the work; be related to the expertise and assignment of
individuals performing the work.

***All parties must mutually contribute resources to the research
effort.***

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **ARS Scientist/Unit Support      | **Extramural Agreements Section   |
| Staff Responsibilities:**         | Responsibilities:**               |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Determine if you wish to      |                                   |
|     engage in a cooperative       |                                   |
|     research relationship with a  |                                   |
|     Non-ARS Entity.               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   **The ARS-425 is coded as     |                                   |
|     Research-No Funds to ARS      |                                   |
|     when:** Scientists cooperate  |                                   |
|     with Non-ARS scientists on    |                                   |
|     projects of mutual interest   |                                   |
|     and funds do not enter the    |                                   |
|     ARS accounting system.        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   **Includes Competitive Grant  |                                   |
|     Proposals being submitted to  |                                   |
|     CSREES/NRI, NIH, etc., when   |                                   |
|     the ARS scientist is acting   |                                   |
|     in a consulting/collaborative |                                   |
|     capacity and will not receive |                                   |
|     funds from the grant proposal |                                   |
|     submitted to the Funding      |                                   |
|     Organization by the           |                                   |
|     University partner.**         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   Non-ARS Entities can include, |                                   |
|     but are not limited to:       |                                   |
|     Universities; CSREES/NRI;     |                                   |
|     NIH; APHIS; NRCS; Forest      |                                   |
|     Service; DOD; EPA; National   |                                   |
|     Cattlemen\'s Beef Assoc.;     |                                   |
|     Texas Corn Producers; North   |                                   |
|     Dakota Beef Commission;       |                                   |
|     Minn-Dak Growers, etc.        |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Obtain the ARS-425 template   | -   Review and approve the        |
|     from the Unit ARIS User.      |     ARS-425.                      |
|     [Complete the highlighted     |                                   |
|     items on the template]{.mark} |                                   |
|     and return to the Unit ARIS   |                                   |
|     User.                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   **Unit ARIS User:** Enter the |                                   |
|     ARS-425 and obtain line       |                                   |
|     management approval           |                                   |
|     signatures (RL/LD/CD).        |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   For assistance and            |                                   |
|     information contact either:   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| > 970-492-7029 or                 |                                   |
| > [jim.quaratino@ars.usda.go      |                                   |
| v](../jim.quaratino@ars.usda.gov) |                                   |
| >                                 |                                   |
| > 970-492-7022 or                 |                                   |
| > [marc                           |                                   |
| ie.currie-gross@ars.usda.gov](../ |                                   |
| marcie.currie-gross@ars.usda.gov) |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Notify the Unit ARIS User     | -   The Agreements Section will   |
|     when: (1) the research effort |     approve the ARIS action to    |
|     begins; or (2) the research   |     either: (1) Unfund the        |
|     effort will not take place.   |     ARS-425; or (2) verify and    |
|                                   |     approve the research effort   |
| -   **Unit ARIS User:** create a  |     is now Active and in          |
|     work record of the Pending    |     progress.                     |
|     ARS-425 from the Active 425   |                                   |
|     section in ARIS.              |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   If the research effort        |                                   |
|     begins: Revise the ARS-425    |                                   |
|     from Pending to Active.       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   If the research effort is     |                                   |
|     cancelled:                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Unfund the ARS-425                |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+