The Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) are joint ventures between NIST and private entities including both for-profit companies and also non-profit educational institutions. Any and all companies can participate in a CRADA. Each party provides staff, equipment, and facilities to undertake joint research with potential for commercialization. Each CRADA is negotiated separately over a 6- to 8-week period. CRADAs were created to increase the collaboration of federal laboratories with knowledge-based companies and industries. CRADAs allow a company and a federal laboratory to jointly develop new technology that may result in a new commercial venture -- one that creates new manufacturing jobs. http://www.nist.gov/ To order a comprehensive guide to NIST's programs, call (301) 975-2762. NIST Technology Development and Small Business Program |