Through CRDAs, companies or groups of companies can work with one or more federal laboratories to pool resources and share risks in developing technologies. CRDAs are potentially very flexible. There are many benefits. However, no federal funds may flow to the CRDA partner. Non-federal contributions include funds, personnel, services, facilities, equipment, intellectual property or other resources.
Special consideration is given to small businesses and consortia involving small businesses.
The United States Government always retains a nonexclusive or nontransferable, irrevocable, and paid-up license to practice any inventions developed under a CRDA for governmental purposes. As more experience is gained with CRDAs and Space Act Agreements, federal departments and agencies are developing general policy guidelines. Some special centers draw collectively upon the expertise of laboratories, universities and industry to focus on broad technologies that can be pursued cooperatively until specific market opportunities arise. Industrial participants may protect themselves from possible treble damages imposed under anti-trust laws by filing with the Department of Justice under The National Cooperative Research Act of 1984. Vertical consortia are becoming more common with a company and its vendor collaborating with a federal laboratory in order to incorporate new technology in the vendor's product.