The Department of Energy offers many programs to assist your research and development efforts, including cooperative partnerships, technology transfer, and financial awards.

Support Mechanisms

Technology transfer can mean many things -- technical assistance to solve a specific problem; use of unique facilities; access to patents and software; exchange of personnel; and cooperative research. The most appropriate mechanism will depend on the objective of each partner.   

Cooperative Agreements
Agreements, generally cost-shared, with industry, universities and others, to support or stimulate research.

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs)
A legal agreement between government laboratories and nonfederal parties in which both participants provide personnel, services, facilities, or equipment for the conduct of specified R&D. The nonfederal parties may also provide funds.

Cost-shared contracts/Sub-contracts
Collaboration, through a procurement, of mutual benefit to industry and to government. DOE can agree not to disseminate commercially valuable data for a limited period of time.

Financial Awards
Competitive grants for energy-related research and development, innovations, and inventions.

Licenses for DOE Patents and Software
DOE can transfer less than ownership rights in intellectual property, such as a patent or software copyright, to permit its use by the licensee.

Personnel Exchange Programs
Government or laboratory staff can work in industry facilities, and industry personnel can work in government facilities, to enhance technical capacities and support research.

R&D Consortia
Arrangements involving multiple federal and nonfederal parties working together for a common R&D objective. Funding for R&D consortia may be shared.

Technical Assistance to Small Business
DOE/laboratory/facility personnel undertake a response to an inquiry from an individual or organization seeking to further knowledge, solve a specific problem or improve a process or product.

Technology Partnerships
DOE’s technology transfer and related technology partnering activities are directed towards facilitating the efficient and expeditious development, transfer, and exploitation of federally developed technology for the public benefit and to enhance the accomplishment of DOE missions.

User Facility Agreements
Arrangements permitting private parties to conduct research and development at a laboratory. For proprietary R&D, the laboratory is paid for the full cost. If the work will be published, cost can be adjusted. Intellectual property rights usually belong to the user.

DOE's Work for Others Programs
Private parties can conduct research and development at a laboratory for either a federal agency or a nonfederal agency. For proprietary R&D, the laboratory is paid for the full cost. If the work will be published, cost can be adjusted. Intellectual property rights usually belong to the user.