The Army’s Research, Development and Engineering Centers have the authority to license intellectual property rights on behalf of the government. A PLA can be granted on patents already issued or applications filed by the government under an exclusive, partially exclusive or non-exclusive basis. The purpose of a PLA is to commercialize federally owned technology for the benefit of the U.S. economy. Through PLAs, DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center has transferred several innovative technologies, such as its transportable glovebox system and air transportable modular analytical laboratory to industry and academia for commercialization.

A CRADA provides a means for private industry to collaborate with Army research and development activities. The parties to a CRADA may exchange intellectual property, expertise and data or they may hire personnel or rent services or materials, equipment and facilities. Federal agencies can accept funding under a CRADA to perform research or development of benefit to the CRADA partner. DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center has several CRADAs in place with a variety of companies ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Areas of collaboration range from computer aided engineering to pharmaceuticals.

Expanded statutory authority now allows industry to test their technologies AND to leverage other DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center services, facilities and equipment at the companies’ expense. This broadened authority could allow DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center to provide stand-alone training, lease or contract out facilities and equipment, and supply other fee-for-service applications, so long as they are not in direct competition with the domestic private sector. DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center personnel have access to more than 25 unique facilities geared to the advancement of technologies ranging from life sciences to biotechnology, forensics and imaging and optical analysis. Within the DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center campus personnel can test and evaluate equipment, such as chemical and biological agent detectors and filtration units, masks and materials designed to protect against chemical and biological agents.

MOAs are used between federal agencies or different parts of the Army/DoD when there is or will be a transfer of funds in exchange for the services and/or materials provided. The authority for this type of agreement is the Economy Act.

Support agreements provide recurring support to government organizations. The agreements define the support DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center will provide to one or more clients and are used in calculating reimbursement charges (if any) for each service, establishing the billing and reimbursement process, and specifying agreement terms and conditions.

DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center’s BAA supports the acquisition of unique and innovative concepts for basic and applied research and development efforts not related to the development of specific systems or hardware. DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center competitively solicits project offers in the following areas:

• Biotechnology
• Aerosol Technology
• Biological Point Detection
• Chemical Point Detection
• Early Warning and Detection
• Smoke and Obscurants
• Modeling, Simulation and Analysis for CB, Smoke and Obscurants
• Collective Protection Technology
• Respiratory Protection Technology
• Decontamination
• Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Countermeasures to Terrorism
• Flame and Incendiary Technology
• Explosives Point, Proximal and Standoff Detection
• Chemical Forensics
• Surface Science

DOD SBIR and STTR programs fund over $500 million each year in early-stage research and development projects at small technology companies. These initiatives serve a DOD need and have commercial applications. Funding is awarded competitively, but the process is streamlined and user-friendly and small companies retain the intellectual property rights to technologies they develop.