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Research and Economic Development

Material Transfer Agreements

Transfer of Materials

In order to enhance campus research and increase research collaboration with industry, non-profit, and other academic institutions, UCR encourages the transfer of materials to and from our campus.  Examples of the type of material requested for transfer include, but are not limited to, biological (from DNA to live animals), non-biological, chemical compounds, data contained in databases, and software codes.

UCR's Office of Research and Economic Development (RED) is here to help facilitate the transfer of materials in support of research and formal research collaborations.  RED reviews and approves material transfer agreements (MTAs) for both the transfer of materials requested by a UCR faculty member from another party (incoming material) as well as requests from another party for the transfer of materials created by, or in the possession of, a UCR faculty member (outgoing material). It is important to realize that MTAs are legally binding contracts. The University and faculty are obliged to live up to the provisions contained therein.  Our goal is to ensure that MTAs reviewed and executed by RED do not restrict academic freedom nor hinder future research while protecting potential inventions and intellectual property for University faculty.

Please do not sign a MTA yourself.  Material transfer officials in The Research and Economic Development Office are the only authorized signatories to sign such agreements on behalf of the university.
 

Getting Started

To get started, and to provide you with timely service, please complete and submit a Material Transfer Request (a Kuali Build form).  Such request form provides the ability to process material transfer requests electronically with built-in workflow automation, permissions, routing, and notifications.  The Material Transfer Request form can be accessed here.  

Who May Initiate a Material Transfer Request?  Authorization to the request form is based upon Kuali Build – C&G roles established within the Enterprise Access Control System (EACS).  For this request form, the submitter must be the Principal Investigator (PI).  Should a PI desire to have a post-doc or student in his/her/their lab assist in preparing the Material Transfer Request, the SAA of the PI's department will first need to assign such post-doc or student with the' MTA Initiator' role within EACS.  For further details on material transfers and utilizing the request form, please review Understanding Material Transfers and the Routing and Roles sections below.

If you are submitting a request for incoming materials and already received a MTA from the provider of the materials, please upload a copy (where indicated within the Material Transfer Request form) for RED's review and signature.

If you are submitting a request to outgoing materials, RED will provide UCR’s MTA to the recipient organization.
 

Contact Us

Please contact mta@ucr.edu for assistance and/or questions involving the transfer of materials (whether incoming or outgoing).
  • Overview

    Overview

    The Material Transfer Request form provides the ability to process material transfer requests electronically.

    In order to enhance campus research and increase research collaboration with industry, non-profit, and other academic institutions, UCR encourages the transfer of materials to and from our campus.  Examples of the type of material requested for transfer include, but are not limited to, biological (from DNA to live animals), non-biological, chemical compounds, data contained in databases, and software codes.  To facilitate the transfer of materials, a request must be processed using the Material Transfer Request (a Kuali Build form) which can be accessed here.

    A material transfer agreement (MTA) will subsequently be handled by the Office of Research and Economic Development to govern the terms and conditions of the transfer, and use, of the requested materials between the providing and recipient institutions. Please review the links within this web page for additional information regarding the Material Transfer Request process.

  • Routing and Roles

    Routing and Roles

    Three roles are available for the Material Transfer Request Form:

    • MTA Initiator:  This role is authorized within the Enterprise Access Control System (EACS) by the System Access Administrator (SAA).
    • PI:  The PI role is based upon Kuali Build C&G roles established within the Enterprise Access Control System (EACS) by the SAA.
    • Office of Research and Economic Development Officer

    Note:  Should a PI desire to have a post-doc or student in his/her lab prepare the Material Transfer Request, the SAA of the PI's department will first need to assign such post-doc or student with the MTA Initiator role within the Enterprise Access Control System (EACS).

    Material Transfer Routing

    Material Transfer Requests are electronically routed to everyone who needs to provide review or approval. 

     

  • Understanding Material Requests

    Understanding Material Transfers

    Material Transfer Requests and MTAs

    The Material Transfer Request form provides the electronic means to request the transfer of materials to or from campus.  The Material Transfer Request has built-in routing and notifications for necessary approvals and submission to the Office of Research and Economic Development (RED) for processing and final approval.   RED will subsequently review, negotiate (if necessary), and execute a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)  governing the terms and conditions of the transfer, and use, of the requested materials between the providing and recipient institutions.

    Receipt of MTA and Shipment of Materials

    The principal investigator associated with the Material Transfer Request will receive a copy of the MTA via Kuali Award after it has been fully executed by RED. To facilitate and arrange for the timely shipping of any outgoing materials, please provide a copy of the fully executed MTA to UCR Shipping.

  • Material Transfer Administration

    Material Transfer Request Administration

    UCR's Office of Research and Economic Development (RED) is here to help facilitate the transfer of materials in support of research and formal research collaborations.  Upon receipt of Material Transfer Requests, RED reviews, negotiates (if necessary), and executes MTAs for both the transfer of materials requested by a UCR faculty member from another party (incoming material) as well as requests from another party for the transfer of materials created by, or in the possession of, a UCR faculty member (outgoing material).  It is important to realize that MTAs are legally binding contracts. The University and faculty are obliged to live up to the provisions contained therein.  RED's goal is to ensure that the executed MTAs do not restrict academic freedom nor hinder future research while protecting potential inventions and intellectual property for University faculty.

    Please do not sign an MTA yourself.  Material transfer officials in RED are the only authorized signatories to sign such agreements on behalf of the university.


    Requesting Material Transfers

    Material Transfers are requested via the Material Transfer Request form.  For further details on utilizing the form or to submit a Material Transfer, please review the Understanding Material Transfers and the Routing and Roles sections of the Material Transfer Request website.

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Frequently Asked Questions

    • What is a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)?
    • Does UCR require an executed MTA for incoming transfers of materials to my lab even though the material provider does not?
    • Why does UCR require an MTA for outgoing materials being transferred from my lab to a researcher affiliated with another institution or entity?
    • Can the Principal Investigator (PI) execute the MTA on behalf of UCR?
    • What if I want to continue using incoming materials for future research following the conclusion of the project under which they were initially received?
       
    • Can my post-doctorate or other lab personnel initiate a request for the transfer of materials on my behalf?
    • Does the PI's department SAA need to provide the PI with access, via EACS, to the new On-Line Material Transfer Request System before the PI can begin using it, even though the PI already has access to the eCAF (electronic Campus Approval Form) system?
    • How do I access the On-Line Material Transfer Request System?
    • How do I know where my material transfer request is in the approval process?
    • I received an automated email advising that the material transfer request received final approval, so why hasn't the MTA been executed yet?
    • Is there a cost associated with getting an MTA processed?
    • Who do I contact to inquire about the status of my MTA?
    • Why does the UCR providing scientist of outgoing materials need to identify the source of funds under which the materials were developed at UCR?
    • Why does the UCR recipient scientist need to identify any grant or other funding sources for the project under which the incoming materials will be used?

     

    Basic Information

    What is a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)?

    An MTA is a legally binding contract used to effect the transfer of research materials from the material provider to the recipient.  The materials may range from biological materials to chemical compounds to certain equipment.

    Does UCR require an executed MTA for incoming transfers of materials to my lab even though the material provider does not?

    Except for the transfer of human tissues an human embryonic stem cells, UCR policy does not require an executed MTA for incoming materials being transferred from the material provider. However, there are certain potential risks to consider when not requesting one, namely:

    • You may be precluded from publishing the results of your research in cases where you received the material directly from a colleague or other source without obtaining authorized permission from the entity who owns the materials.
    • You may be subject to personal liability if you use materials from a colleague or other source without obtaining authorized permission from the entity who owns the materials.


    Why does UCR require an MTA for outgoing materials being transferred from my lab to a researcher affiliated with another institution or entity?

    An MTA protects UCR and the UCR providing researcher against any claims that may arise through the recipient's use, storage, and/or disposal of the material received from UCR.  An MTA also allows the use of the materials be limited to specific projects and precludes the further transfer of the materials to non-approved recipients.

    Can the Principal Investigator (PI) execute the MTA on behalf of UCR?

    No; such authority has not been delegated to PIs by The Regents.  Rather, material transfer officials in The Office of Research and Economic Development are the only authorized signatories to sign MTAs on behalf of the University.  PIs may, however, sign an acknowledgement block certifying that they have read the terms of the MTA and understand their obligations to comply with its terms and conditions.

    What if I want to continue using incoming materials for future research following the conclusion of the project under which they were initially received?

    Please contact mta@ucr.edu.  Material transfer agreements typically authorize the use of the provided materials solely for the research use identified at the time of the initial request and as referenced in the MTA.  In such instances where continued use of the materials is desired for other research purposes or projects, the MTA may need to be amended to permit such additional use(s) of the materials.

     

    On-Line Material Transfer Request System

    Can my post-doctorate or other lab personnel initiate a request for the transfer of materials on my behalf?

    Yes.  Should a PI desire to have a post-doc or other lab personnel assist in preparing the on-line material transfer request, the SAA of the PI's department will first need to assign such post-doc or lab personnel with the 'MTA Initiator' role within EACS.  (Note:  Even though the MTA Initiator can initiate the request by completing certain fields in the On-Line Material Transfer Request System, such material transfer request will subsequently route directly to the PI for approval before any further routing of the request can occur.)

    Does the PI's department SAA need to provide the PI with access, via EACS, to the new On-Line Material Transfer Request System before the PI can begin using it, even though the PI already has access to the eCAF (electronic Campus Approval Form) system?

    The SAA does not need to give a PI access to the On-Line Material Transfer Request System if the PI is already set-up as a PI in EACS for the eCAF system.

    How do I access the On-Line Material Transfer Request System?

    The system can easily be accessed through https://mta.ucr.edu or by clicking 'Material Transfer Request System' via the PAMIS (Proposal and Award Management Information Systems) Portal from the Authorized Applications section in R'Space (http://rspace.ucr.edu).

    How do I know where my material transfer request is in the approval process?

    The "Approvals" tab of the on-line request provides a graphical representation of the material transfer routing and approval system, with a white box highlighting its current location along the approval path.

    I received an automated email advising that the material transfer request received final approval, so why hasn't the MTA been executed yet?

    The execution of an MTA may be delayed in the event there are any outstanding terms and conditions under negotiation.  Once fully executed, a material transfer official will email a copy of the signed MTA to the PI.

    Is there a cost associated with getting an MTA processed?

    No.  However, a material provider may charge a transmission fee to cover the cost of shipping the material to the recipient.

    Who do I contact to inquire about the status of my MTA?

    Please send an email to mta@ucr.edu; such inquiries are monitored by all MTA Officers in the Office of Research and Economic Development.

    Why does the UCR providing scientist of outgoing materials need to identify the source of funds under which the materials were developed at UCR?

    The MTA Officer needs to know what funding was used to support the research under which the UCR materials may have been developed to ensure that there are no conflicting obligations between the rights UC has already granted the funding sponsor and the rights UCR may grant to the recipient of the UCR materials.

    Why does the UCR recipient scientist need to identify any grant or other funding sources for the project under which the incoming materials will be used?

    The MTA Officer needs to know what funding will be used to support your research using the material to ensure that there are no conflicts between those rights UCR may grant to the funding sponsor and those rights UCR may grant to the provider of the materials.

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