Collaborate With Us

Under the Federal Technology Transfer Act, DEVCOM ARL makes federally funded inventions from basic and applied research available to the private sector or industry for new product development and sales to benefit private industry and the overall public interest.

By signing a patent license agreement (PLA) from a federal laboratory, a business or licensee is granted the right to manufacture or use an ARL invention in their commercial products, which prevents others without a license from legally doing the same. In turn, for this benefit, the licensee agrees to pay negotiable financial terms, which may include an upfront execution fee, an annual minimum royalty, and a running royalty percentage of sales and other fees as appropriate. The licensee also agrees to develop the ARL invention into a commercial product at its own expense following their own timetable and milestones determined at the time of application.

An annual progress report to ARL is required to ensure that the licensee is meeting the terms of license.