A Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) is a short-term agreement that allows for the exchange of a proprietary material or piece of technology between a federal laboratory and another party for research purposes. MTAs can be used when the government is the recipient or provider. The agreement protects the IP rights, states how the material is to be used, and whether it is to be returned or destroyed at the end of the agreement. Neither rights in intellectual property nor rights for commercial purposes may be granted under this type of agreement.
