COOPERATIVE RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS (CRADAS) AS TECHNOLOGY-TRANSFER MECHANISMS

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) between Feder al R&D laboratories and private companies in the US are intended, in l arge part, to transfer technologies developed at Federal R&D laborator ies to private companies, We surveyed the Federal laboratory and priva te CRADA partners involved in CRADAs at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico in order to identify certain difficulties inherent in C RADAs as mechanisms for technology transfer. Company partners do not s hare a common organizational culture with their Federal laboratory cou nterparts, and are critical of the length of time and complexity of go vernment administrative arrangements necessary to form a CRADA.