United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 2091

Technology Transfer: 

Partnering With Wildlife Services
Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS)

Wildlife Services (WS)

APHIS’ WS program often partners with privatesector industries to develop new tools and 

techniques for resolving human-wildlife conflicts 

related to agriculture, human health and safety, 

property, invasive species, and threatened 

and endangered species. The research arm 

of WS—the National Wildlife Research Center 

(NWRC)—is based in Fort Collins, CO, and at 

several field stations throughout the United States. 

It employs more than 160 scientists, technicians, 

and support staff with expertise in a variety of 

disciplines, including animal behavior, chemical 

registration, chemistry, ecology, economics, 

The NWRC 

headquarters campus 

is located in Fort 

Collins, CO. The 43-

acre campus houses 

several outdoor 

animal research 

facilities.

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epidemiology, immunology, information transfer, 

public health, reproductive physiology, toxicology, 

veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, wildlife 

disease, and wildlife genetics.

WS promotes the adoption of research outcomes 

by end users. Methods of technology transfer 

are varied and include publishing research 

findings, producing technical notes and 

factsheets, presenting at scientific meetings, 

hosting demonstrations and workshops, and 

protecting and licensing inventions for developing 

commercial products. The Federal Technology 

Transfer Act of 1986 changed how Federal 

Government research and development agencies 

do business, allowing Federal laboratories and 

industry to form commercial partnerships that 

enhance the development of new technologies 

and move them to marketplace. WS strives to 

transfer and market new technologies related 

to wildlife damage management from its 

research. It has formed numerous partnerships 

using Cooperative Research and Development 

Agreements (CRADA). WS works in cooperation 

with USDA’s Office of Technology Transfer (OTT), 

housed in the Department’s Agricultural Research 

Service (ARS), to facilitate and coordinate these 

partnerships.

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Cooperative Research and 

Development Agreements

A CRADA is appropriate for a commercial firm 

seeking to further develop and commercialize a 

WS invention, merge WS technology with its own, 

or jointly discover and develop new technologies. 

These agreements provide the cooperator 

the right to negotiate an exclusive license to 

inventions made under the agreement, and 

also provide confidentiality for up to 5 years for 

information generated under the agreement. 

The cooperator provides the resources needed 

to develop and commercialize a new product, 

process, or service. The firm may provide funds 

to WS for work done under the agreement, or may 

contribute personnel, equipment, or materials. 

WS provides research staff, laboratory facilities, 

materials, equipment, supplies, technical 

and intellectual knowledge and advice, and 

other in-kind contributions. Both parties bring 

their expertise to the partnership, and both 

conduct some portion of the work. As with its 

other agreements, WS enters into this type of 

agreement only when the objective relates to its 

mission.

Fluorescent 

colored dyes 

are used to 

mark large 

flocks of 

birds 

temporarily.

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Benefits of CRADAs to 

Commercial Firms

• The right to negotiate exclusive licenses 

on patented inventions 

• Direct access to WS scientific expertise

• Potential to commercialize new WS 

technologies

Benefits of CRADAs to WS

• Wider opportunities for developing and 

transferring technologies

• Feedback from industry on research 

needs

• Increased familiarity with problems

related to commercializing products or 

processes

Benefits to the American Public

• Transfer of tools and information resulting

from government-supported research for 

public use

NWRC scientists learn 

more about beaver 

biology and behavior.

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How a Commercial Firm 

Can Initiate a CRADA

• Search the WS National Wildlife Research 

Center (NWRC) Web page at www.aphis.usda.

gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc for information 

about NWRC’s research programs. 

• Contact WS scientists responsible for research 

projects of interest. 

• Develop a brief proposal with the WS scientist 

and technology transfer program manager. 

• Obtain appropriate preliminary review and 

clearance for the proposal from your firm. 

• Work with the WS scientist and technology 

transfer program manager to develop a 

Statement of Work for the agreement.

• Obtain approval from your firm for the CRADA 

and its proposed research plan. 

Other Types of Agreements

In addition to CRADAs, WS enters into other 

strategic partnerships with Federal, State, 

and private organizations to help deliver new 

technologies to the public. These partnerships 

include Cooperative Service Agreements (i.e., 

Trust Fund and Reimbursable), Cooperative 

Night vision cameras 

are often used to 

monitor animal 

behaviors.

Double-crested 

cormorant with 

satellite transmitter

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Agreements, Interagency Agreements, Memoranda 

of Understanding, Material Transfer Agreements, 

and Confidentiality Agreements. 

Cooperative Service Agreements are similar to 

CRADAs, but lack the provision for negotiating 

an exclusive license and complete assurances of 

confidentiality. The cooperator provides funds to 

WS under this type of agreement. Cooperative 

Service Agreements may be established on a 

one-time or continuing basis and provide for 

cost recovery in advance (trust fund) or on a 

reimbursable basis. Confidentiality provisions 

apply to the cooperator’s proprietary material, but 

information developed by WS while either type of 

agreement is in place can be withheld from public 

disclosure for only a reasonable period of time to 

protect intellectual property rights until a patent 

application is filed. 

WS enters into Cooperative Agreements when it 

anticipates substantial involvement with a partner 

while the contemplated activity is being performed. 

Agency collaboration, participation, or intervention 

constitutes substantial involvement. The principal 

purpose of the relationship is the transfer of 

money, property, services, or anything of value 

NWRC expertise 

includes chemistry, 

veterinary medicine, 

epidemiology, 

genetics, physiology, 

and wildlife biology.

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from WS to the cooperating partner to accomplish 

public support or stimulation. Unless mandated 

by legislation or program regulations, there is 

no mandatory requirement for cost-sharing 

or matched funding by the partner under 

Cooperative Agreements. The principal purpose 

of a Cooperative Agreement is to create public 

support or stimulation rather than acquire 

services for the direct benefit or use of WS.

An Interagency Agreement is an acquisition 

arrangement developed between at least two 

Federal agencies in order for one agency (the 

requesting agency) to obtain needed goods and 

services from another agency (the performing 

agency). WS uses interagency agreements 

to transfer funds between APHIS and other 

Federal agencies in order to conduct activities 

needed to carry out its mission, goals, and 

objectives. WS will comply with applicable 

provisions of the Economy Act of 1932 (31 

U.S.C. 1535-1537).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is 

a written plan between two or more parties 

cooperating to carry out a project of mutual 

interest. Each party to the MOU handles its 

own activities and uses its own resources, 

including its own funds. There is no transfer of 

funds between or among the parties. WS policy 

is to use a MOU as the instrument to define 

and formally document the nature, terms, and 

NWRC facilities 

include a biosafety 

level 3 (BSL-3) suite 

for studying various 

wildlife disease 

agents.

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conditions of an agreement with other Federal 

agencies or non-Federal entities.

WS scientists use Material Transfer Agreements, 

or MTAs, when they want to provide material 

to someone outside WS, but also want to 

maintain control over the material and maintain 

confidentiality. These agreements can also be 

used to bring materials into WS from outside 

parties for research purposes. Generally, material 

transfer agreements specify what the material is 

and what it can be used for, restrict giving it to a 

third party without permission, prohibit commercial 

use, and specify its disposition.

WS scientists enter into a Confidentiality Agreement

with cooperators outside the agency when they 

want to discuss confidential information or data 

that may have patent potential. The agreement 

preserves patent options. Confidentiality 

agreements are also used when a company 

needs to discuss confidential information with 

WS scientists.

Patent License Program

Many important WS discoveries are transferred 

directly to the public without intellectual property 

protection through publications or education. 

However, some WS inventions require significant 

financial investments and resources from the 

private sector before the public can benefit from 

White-tailed deer 

used in wildlife 

contraceptive study

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a new, improved product or service. To provide 

an incentive for such investments, WS may patent 

new inventions and transfer technologies to the 

public through patent licenses.

ARS-OTT administers the USDA’s technology 

licensing program. The technology licensing 

program grants licenses to qualified businesses 

and individuals who wish to commercialize WS 

technologies. Licenses may be exclusive, partially 

exclusive, or nonexclusive, and in some cases 

foreign patent rights are available.

How To Apply for a Patent License

Licensing federally owned inventions is done in 

accordance with Federal regulations (37 CFR 

404). A copy of these regulations can be obtained 

from the technology licensing program coordinator.

Businesses or individuals who want to 

commercialize a WS invention must submit a 

patent license application. Information provided 

with the application is used to determine whether 

the applicant has a sufficient plan for developing 

and marketing the invention. All business plans 

are kept confidential. Patent license application 

forms are available by mail or may be downloaded 

from the USDA-ARS Partnering Web site 

(www.ars.usda.gov/partnering). 

Tetracycline is 

used as a marker 

to determine the 

effectiveness of 

wildlife vaccines.

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License Provisions

USDA patent licenses are royalty-bearing and 

include provisions for license execution fees, 

annual license maintenance fees, and patent 

cost reimbursements. License fees and royalty 

rates are negotiable. Information submitted by 

the applicant—including estimates of potential 

market size, market share, and profitability—is 

used to help determine fair and reasonable terms. 

Other factors are also considered, such as scope 

of the licensed patent, scope of rights granted, 

and financial and resource investments required 

for commercialization.

Licensees are required to submit periodic reports 

detailing the progress made to commercialize 

licensed patents. After the first sale of royaltybearing products, licensees are required to 

submit royalty reports, including information on 

the quantity of products made, used, and sold, 

and the royalties due USDA. This information is 

confidential and not publicly disclosed.

Special Considerations

Exclusive or partially exclusive patent licenses—

including licenses that are co-exclusive (limited 

number of licensees), exclusive territory (limited 

to a specific country), and exclusive field (limited 

WS has been 

instrumental in the 

development and 

testing of new oral 

rabies vaccines.

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to a specific use)—may be granted for nonCRADA inventions, but only after public notice 

has been made.

Successful Commercial Partnerships

WS continues to foster relationships with many 

businesses throughout the United States and, 

in so doing, creates new jobs and economic 

opportunities. 

WS partnered with Innolytics, LLC, to develop and 

register an oral contraceptive bait—OvoControl® G

for resident Canada geese and ducks and 

OvoControl® P for pigeons. The products reduce 

the hatchability of eggs and help decrease pest 

bird populations. Innolytics markets OvoControl 

products to private pest control operators, wildlife 

management agencies, and city governments 

that are seeking non-lethal, humane methods 

to manage geese, ducks, and pigeons in their 

communities. 

WS helped launch a new product line for private 

partner Martin Engineering—together, they designed 

and developed a new air cannon net system for 

capturing wild birds. The new design eliminates 

the need for explosives. Instead, it relies on 

compressed air to launch four 5-pound projectiles 

attached to a 40-by-60 foot net. Martin Engineering 

WS partnered 

with Innolytics, 

LLC, to develop 

a new oral 

contraceptive 

bait for use on 

resident Canada 

geese.

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is currently manufacturing and marketing the 

system under the name “Martin Net Blaster.”

WS and SEA Tech filed joint patents to develop 

the Avian Dissuader®, a handheld, low-power, 

long-wavelength laser used to disperse birds 

from roosts. WS conducted studies of birds 

both in captivity and in the wild to determine the 

effectiveness of the laser in dispersing problem 

roosts, as well as to verify that no physical harm 

occurred to the birds or their vision.

These are just a few examples of successful 

partnerships between WS and private industry. 

Through such partnerships, WS helps deliver 

innovative wildlife damage management tools and 

technologies to wildlife managers and others.

Additional Information

You can learn more about WS research and 

partnering opportunities from the resources listed 

below:

The NWRC Web site (www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_

damage/nwrc) is the electronic gateway to APHIS 

research related to wildlife damage management. 

NWRC conducts research of national and 

international scope affecting the management of 

wild mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

OvoControl® bait Air net cannon manufactured 

by Martin Engineering

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The APHIS Web site (www.aphis.usda.gov) 

describes APHIS’ national programs. APHIS 

is a multi-faceted agency with a broad mission 

area that includes protecting and promoting 

U.S. agricultural health, regulating genetically 

engineered organisms, administering the Animal 

Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage 

management activities. These efforts support the 

overall mission of USDA, which is to protect and 

promote food, agriculture, natural resources, and 

related issues.

ARS-OTT (www.ars.usda.gov/partnering) can 

provide information about technologies available 

for licensing and partnering opportunities, as well 

as success stories and information on WS.

The Technology Transfer Information Center (www.

nal.usda.gov/ttic) is part of USDA’s National 

Agricultural Library. The Center assists users in 

finding information by searching national and 

international databases and other resources.

Contact Information

USDA-APHIS-WS

National Wildlife Research Center

Technology Transfer Program Manager

4101 LaPorte Avenue

Fort Collins, CO 80521

Phone: (970) 266-6000

Fax: (970) 266-6032

Web site: www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc

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Technology Transfer Coordinator

Northern Plains Area and Southern Plains Area

USDA, ARS, OTT

2150 Centre Avenue, Building D

Fort Collins, CO 80526

Phone: (970) 492-7028

Fax: (970) 492-7023

Email: bryan.kaphammer@ars.usda.gov

Technology Licensing Program Coordinator

USDA, ARS, OTT

5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Room 4-1174

Beltsville, MD 20705-5131

Phone: (301) 504-5989

Fax: (301) 504-5060

Email: license@ars.usda.gov

APHIS Mission

To protect the health and value of U.S. agricultural, 

natural, and other resources

WS Mission

The Wildlife Services program provides Federal 

leadership in managing problems caused by 

wildlife.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Mention of trade names or commercial products in this report 

is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and 

does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture.

Photo credits: Images of the air net cannon (on cover and 

p. 13), Avian Dissuader® (on cover), and OvoControl® (on 

cover) were provided by Martin Engineering, FeatherLight 

Technologies, and Innolytics, LLC, respectively, and are used 

with permission. All other images in this brochure were taken 

by USDA employees or are part of the APHIS image collection.

Issued August 2011

Supersedes PA 1986, “Forming Partnerships With Wildlife 

Services”

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Wildlife Services

Protecting People

Protecting Agriculture

Protecting Wildlife