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Contracting

CRADA

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

A formal agreement that lets federal labs collaborate with non-federal partners on research while defining responsibilities, resources, and rights.

What is CRADA?

A CRADA is not a procurement contract. It is a collaboration vehicle that can let a startup work with a federal lab, access expertise or facilities, and jointly advance a technology without the government simply buying a product.

CRADAs can be powerful when a company needs validation, test access, or technical collaboration before a procurement pathway is ready. The details matter because intellectual property, data rights, and publication terms are negotiated in the agreement.

Have questions about CRADA?

Matter Labs has hands-on experience navigating government contracting. Let's talk about how we can help.

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