Contract research is a form, where EDI acts a service provider to the industry partner and transfers all intellectual property rights created over the course of collaboration to the ownership of customer. This mode of partnership is particularly useful in such scenarios where an urgent R&D challange requires expertise and competencies that are not available within the company, or development of such expertise is outside of the longterm strategy of the business.

Contract Research occurs where:

  • a request is made by industry partner or a Government agency for a specified research project to be carried out with identified aims and objectives;
  • the research project is often undertaken on the basis of a competitive bid for funds from an agency (see support mechanisms);
  • it is anticipated the research will result in a deliverable product or report of commercial importance to industry partner;
  • researchers can not expect to be able to produce peer-reviewed publications;
  • ownership of intellectual property either belongs to the contracting party or can be negotiated between the parties.