NASA Advisory Council Recommendation 

Explore Expanded Use of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements 

2013-01-06 (CSC-02) 

Recommendation: 

The Council recommends that NASA explore expanded use ofCooperative Research and 

Development Agreements (CRADAs) with its commercial partners. Initially, NASA should 

identify an office (or a person) at Headquarters that would: (I) identify the current number of 

active CRADAs between (a) a party and Headquarters and (b) a party and each ofthe Centers; 

(2) assess the success of each ofthese CRADAs; and (3) evaluate the benefits of promoting use 

ofCRADAs. 

Major Reasons for Proposing the Recommendation: 


CRADAs were designed to promote technology transfer in a way that protects the intellectual 


property that the partner brings to the project and advances the commercial application of such 


technology. NASA should ensure that its commercial partners are aware ofthe CRADA option 


and use this tool to the maximum extent appropriate to encourage relationships with commercial 


partners. 


Consequences of No Action on the Proposed Recommendation: 


NASA and its commercial partners may miss an opportunity to work together ifthe parties do 


not realize that CRADAs are available. 


NASA Response: 


NASA concurs with the recommendation as noted below: 


• 	 The Council recommends that NASA explore expanded use of CRADAs with its commercial 

partners. 

NASA concurs. The Agency has already begun steps to put in place expanded use ofCRADAs. 

In October 2011, the Mission Support Council approved the request ofthe Office ofChief 

Technologist (OCT) and Office ofGeneral Counsel (OGC) to delegate the authority to negotiate, 

execute, amend, and terminate CRADAs with domestic entities to the Center Directors. This 

was recommended with the consensus ofthe Center Directors to increase technology transfer and 

commercialization at NASA consistent with the NASA Strategic Plan and Presidential guidance 

(See October 2011 Presidential Memo, "Accelerating Technology Transfer and 

Commercialization of Federal Research in Support ofHigh Growth Businesses.") OGC and 

OCT issued a draft NASA Policy Directive (NPD) and is completing a Program Information 

Package that will be released this summer/early fall, coincident with the NPD delegation policy 

explaining to Centers how to implement CRADA processes to ensure efficiency and consistency 

across the Agency. Training will also be provided to the Centers with the goal ofhaving wider 

use ofCRADAs to encourage economic growth and stimulate innovation while meeting Agency 

mission needs. 
2 

• The Council recommends identification of an office (or a person) at Headquarters that would: 

(1) identify the current number of active CRADAs between (a) a party and Headquarters and 

(b) a party and each ofthe Centers; (2) assess the success of each ofthese CRADAs; and (3) 

evaluate the benefits of promoting use ofCRADAs. 

NASA concurs. The appropriate office for that role is within OCT, which currently administers 

the Agency's technology transfer program in conjunction with OGC. This recommendation will 

supplement OCT's existing analyses oftechnology transfer and commercialization activities, 

including an annual report on technology transfer-related partnerships that is provided to the 

Office of Management and Budget and published by the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology. In addition, the NASA Technology Transfer System (NTTS), a workflow tool for 

managing all ofNASA's technology transfer and intellectual property management activities, 

will be updated to include CRADA tracking, and metrics will be posted online quarterly at 

http://technology.nasa.gov. In addition to these tools, NASA's Technology Transfer Program 

Executive will be responsible also for specifically addressing on a semiannual basis for provision 

to the NAC: the elements included in the NAC recommendation related to the number of active 

CRADAs, their success, and the overall benefits of promoting CRADAs. 

Enclosure