Case 1 — MTA + NDA side-by-side (tti-research Block 05)
Agreements
MTAs and NDAs — the two agreements researchers ask for most.
Both have standard NUS templates. Both can be initiated through TTI. Below: when to use which, who signs, and how long it typically takes. For anything beyond these two, email your domain TTO directly.
Material Transfer Agreement
For sending or receiving research materials
Use an MTA when you're shipping or receiving physical research materials — biological samples, compounds, cell lines, tissue, or proprietary materials — to or from another institution or company.
- When
- Any external transfer of physical research materials
- Signatory
- NUS authorised signatory (not the PI directly)
- Timeline
- 2–4 weeks for standard template; longer for negotiated terms
- Cost
- No fee for standard NUS-template MTAs
Non-Disclosure Agreement
For confidential conversations with external parties
Use an NDA before sharing unpublished research, technical details, or pre-disclosure invention specifics with an external party.
- When
- Before sharing confidential research with anyone outside NUS
- Signatory
- NUS authorised signatory (not the PI directly)
- Timeline
- 1–2 weeks for one-way NDA; 2–4 weeks for mutual
- Cost
- No fee for standard NUS-template NDAs
Need something else — a sponsored research agreement, a licensing deal, a consulting contract? Email your domain TTO directly.