For Industry

While large federal agencies such as the NIH and NSF typically use grants as a vehicle to support university research projects, other federal agencies such as the Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, and the Department of Energy (DOE), as well as commercial sponsors, state agencies, and non-profits often use contracts to procure goods and research services. As an awarding vehicle, grants usually provide financial assistance to investigators and have relatively few restrictions on the performance and spending for a funded project. Contracts, however, are used to purchase particular goods and services and often include detailed specifications for the delivery of performance objectives, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses that govern the federal procurement process, and other terms and conditions that may affect the ownership of Virginia Tech intellectual property and/or the publishing rights of investigators. If contract terms and conditions are in conflict with university and/or state laws, policies, or principles, modifications must be negotiated.

Terms and Conditions

Types of Agreements Routinely Reviewed by the Contracts Team

• Contracts from any sponsor
• Cooperative Agreements and MOUs
• Grants or IPAs from the following sponsors:
• Commercial
• International
• DoD
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• NASA
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• DOE
• Intelligence Agencies (e.g., FBI, CIA, MPO, NSA, etc.)
• Inter-institutional agreements from VT-CRI, VT-ARC, Carilion Clinic, etc.
• Agreements for flow-through dollars from any federal, commercial, foundation, or international sponsor
• Modifications of any the above type of agreements