Contracts & Industry Agreements (CIA) staff assists faculty and staff with a wide variety of agreements that facilitate and support research, training, instruction and/or public service projects. These agreements are both financial and non-financial and the obligations and requirements that accompany each one of them may vary depending on the nature and purpose of the agreement. Financial Agreements are handled by CIA, but established in a broader working relationship in coordination with OSPA Research Service Centers (RSC) and/or Quality Assurance and Risk Management. Non-Financial Agreements are handled by CIA, with the appropriate input from faculty. The following table provides guidance regarding key elements and differences among the different types of research agreements.
| Engagement Category | Funds to UTSA | Purpose | Faculty Requirements | Sponsor Requirements | UTSA Deliverables |
| Gift* | Yes | Faculty to conduct self-directed projects | Minimal communication to donor | May require funds to be used in a specified field or for a specific purpose | Periodic updates or reports to donor on how funds were used, or of general outcomes |
| Grant | Yes | Faculty to conduct self-directed projects in a specified field | Periodic updates or reports to funding agency on project progress | Funds to be used in a specified field or for a specific purpose | General reports on project progress |
| NDA | No | Preserve confidentiality | Maintain proprietary information in confidence | Non-disclosure of proprietary information and use for the specified purpose only | None |
| MTA/DUA | No | Exchange of research materials or data to be used for independent research and development (not involving provider) | Materials/Data are not to be shared with any third party without owner approval | Publication review; acknowledgement in publications (or “no publicity”); preservation of IP rights in original material or data | Publications, invention disclosure (possibly), publicity releases |
| Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) | No | Joint efforts for R&D | Sharing of materials, data, information, and publications | Sharing of materials, data, information, and publications | Publications, invention disclosure (possibly), publicity releases |
| Sponsored Research Agreement | Yes | University research on sponsor or faculty-defined problem, with specified tasks, costs, schedule, deliverables | Conduct research according to specified tasks and schedule | Assess reports and monitor progress, make payments | Data, reports, meetings, IP disclosures, option to negotiate license on inventions, software, hardware, presentation to sponsor |
| Master Research Agreement | No | Standard terms specified in Master Agreement; later Task Order specifies work scope, costs, schedule | Develop projects in conjunction with sponsor | Identify research needs | Proposal for specific tasks |
| Task Order | Yes | Task Order, under standard terms of Master Agreement, specifies work scope, costs, schedule | Conduct research according to specified tasks and schedule in each task order | Assess reports and monitor progress, make payments | Data, reports, meetings, IP disclosures, option to negotiate license on inventions, software, hardware, presentation to sponsor |
Gifts are handled by UTSA’s Development Office, not the Office of Contracts & Industry Agreements under Research. The guidance in this table regarding gifts is included to contrast a gift from other funding mechanisms.
