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Your pathway to successful partnership

Inquiries from interested parties will be received directly by the ERDCWERX team. Following initial discussions, ERDC will determine which agreement mechanism is the most appropriate.

Explore Partnership Pathways

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)
Testing Services Agreement (TSA)
Service Agreement (SA)
Interagency Agreement (IAA) (Government)

Learn more about the available pathways to work with ERDC.

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Parties interested in submitting solutions for potential funding consideration may visit ERDCWERX.org.

Partnership Pathways

Explore the agreement mechanisms available for partnering with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). Select a pathway to learn more about what it is, who it is for, and when it may be most appropriate.

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)

A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) allows ERDC to collaborate on research and development efforts. ERDC and the partner may contribute personnel, expertise, facilities, equipment, materials, services, or other resources. Partners may also provide funding to ERDC to support the work.

A CRADA may be a good fit when:

Both parties will actively contribute to a research or development effort
The project aligns with ERDC's mission and technical expertise
The work may lead to new inventions or intellectual property
An ongoing technical collaboration is needed

CRADAs must include at least one non-federal partner, such as a business, nonprofit organization, university or research institution, or state, local, or tribal government.

Testing Services Agreement (TSA)

A Testing Services Agreement (TSA) allows a partner to pay ERDC to test or evaluate materials, equipment, models, computer software, or other items using ERDC's laboratory capabilities and expertise.

A TSA may be a good fit when:

Independent or specialized testing is needed
ERDC has an existing laboratory capability suited to the testing requirement
The work has a defined testing objective rather than a broader research question
The requested testing would not require ERDC to expand its existing capabilities or facilities

TSAs are for testing services and do not authorize research studies, investigations, or the sale of products.

Service Agreement (SA)

A Service Agreement (SA) allows a partner to pay ERDC for access to specialized facilities, services, or equipment when those capabilities are not reasonably and readily available from the private sector.

An SA may be a good fit when:

Specialized ERDC resources are needed to complete a defined scope of work
Comparable capabilities cannot be obtained reasonably and quickly from the private sector
The requested work can be completed using ERDC's existing capabilities
The need extends beyond testing a specific material, product, model, or software

SAs provide access to services and capabilities and do not authorize research studies, investigations, or the sale of products.

Interagency Agreement (IAA)

Government Only
An Interagency Agreement (IAA) allows one federal agency to pay another federal agency, such as ERDC, to provide goods or services. It establishes the terms, responsibilities, and funding for the work.

An IAA may be a good fit when:

Both organizations involved are federal agencies
One agency needs ERDC to perform work or provide goods or services
Federal funds need to be transferred to support the work
A formal scope, responsibilities, and funding arrangement need to be established

IAAs typically use Form 7600A to establish general terms and conditions and Form 7600B to document the order and funding information.