A material transfer agreement (MTA) is a contract between the Georgia Tech Research Corporation and another party that governs the transfer of tangible research materials. These materials include, but are not limited to, chemicals and biological materials such as cell lines, vectors, and plasmids. An MTA defines the rights of the provider and the recipient with respect to the use of the exchanged material and any derivatives. It also details how to manage any intellectual property.

In most cases, an MTA is a straightforward agreement that can be established quickly.

Before you request an MTA, read and answer these questions to determine whether an MTA is necessary:

1. Does the material contain Georgia Tech intellectual property that should be protected by Georgia Tech?
2. Does the material contain intellectual property provided by a third party?
3. Is the intellectual property related to the material subject to the terms of a sponsored research agreement with industry?
4. Did you receive the material from a third party that restricts its further transfer?
5. If you are receiving a material, does the sender want Georgia Tech to sign an MTA?

If you answered NO to all of these questions, contact Environmental Health & Safety for assistance with shipping your material appropriately.

Please note: If the material is leaving the country, regardless of whether an MTA is required, you must contact Export Control for review.

If you answered YES to any of the above questions, please click below to initiate an MTA.