Research Contracts

What is a research contract?

• Funding not usually decided via a peer-review process
• Scope of work agreed upon by PI and Sponsor or dictated by Sponsor
• Usually includes defined deliverables/milestones
• Often fixed-fee payments tied to deliverables but can be claim-based per costs incurred. If budget included, usually flexible
• Applicable indirect costs often per Institutional policy
• Sponsor usually has right to pre-review publications. Terms of intellectual property, confidentiality, and indemnification are negotiated

Note: According to the CUASA Collective Agreement, Article 15.5 (d), it is unethical for members of academic staff to enter into any agreement that infringes on the freedom to publish the results of research conducted at CU (this does not pertain to private consulting agreements). Although it is unethical to enter such agreements, this type of situation might arise as external funding can, at times, be at odds with the policy of openness at Carleton.