Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
A MOU is an agreement that outlines the terms and details of an agreement between parties, including each party’s expected activities and goals.
The Public-Private Partnership Program staff can help you think through issues involving MOUs.
MOU issues should be thoroughly vetted internally within the NIH Institute or Center (IC). Current policy requires that certain MOUs be cleared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the NIH Director of Financial Management.
NIH employees are encouraged to send all draft MOUs to the Office of the General Counsel and to the Public-Private Partnerships Program email at pppartnerships@od.nih.gov for suggestions and comments before seeking final IC approval.
Office of Science Policy (OSP), NIH Office of the Director, serves as the official NIH liaison to FNIH. As such, a record is kept of all MOUs between NIH ICs and FNIH. Please submit a copy of each MOU to Lana Skirboll, Ph.D., Director of OSP.
