SimpleLetterAgreementInstructions

The one-page form that follows is the NIH-recommended Simple Letter Agreement for material
transfers between academic/non-profit institutions. This form should only be used for the transfer of
research material owned by Tufts to academic/non-profit institutions.
Please DO NOT use this form if:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

a commercial entity wishes to receive the material, or

the material contains cre or lox DNA, or
the material is the subject of a pending patent application or an issued patent, or
the material resulted from a project funded by, or using materials received from, industry.

If any of the above is true, please refer the matter to the Office for Technology Licensing and Industry
Collaboration (OTL&IC) as detailed below.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TUFTS INVESTIGATOR (PROVIDER SCIENTIST)
Please print and sign two copies of the attached material transfer agreement (MTA), and mail them to
the academic scientist who requested the material. Please be sure to fill out your contact information
(under Provider Information) so that the recipient can return a fully executed MTA to you. Send the
material to the recipient scientist only upon receipt of a fully signed, unaltered MTA. You can
accept a faxed copy of the MTA to speed the transfer.
Please keep a record of the MTA and the shipment.
The attached form cannot be altered other than to fill in the blanks. If the recipient requests changes or
has questions about the MTA, please ask that person to contact OTL&IC directly.
If you prefer, you can email this form directly to the requesting scientist and have him/her begin the
signature process. If you choose this option, please wait to send the material until you have received an
unaltered MTA signed by both the recipient scientist and an institutional official, and be sure to return a
fully executed copy of the MTA to the recipient at the address they provide.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECIPIENT SCIENTIST/INSTITUTION
Please sign two copies of this agreement, and have both copies signed by an authorized official of your
institution. Once the recipient scientist and authorized official have both signed this form, please return
the MTA to the provider scientist at Tufts University by fax or mail. If the provider scientist needs to
co-sign and return a fully executed copy of the agreement, please clearly indicate the address to which
he/she should return the fully executed copy.
QUESTIONS OR CHANGES? PLEASE CONTACT OTL&IC:
Nina Green, Director
Tufts University - Office for Technology Licensing and Industry Collaboration
nina.green@tufts.edu
(617) 636-0360

Simple Letter Agreement for the Transfer of Materials

In response to RECIPIENTs request for the MATERIAL , including any progeny and unmodified derivatives thereof,
the PROVIDER asks that the RECIPIENT and the RECIPIENT SCIENTIST agree to the following before the RECIPIENT
receives the MATERIAL:
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.

7.
8.

The above MATERIAL is the property of the PROVIDER and is made available as a service to the research community.
THIS MATERIAL IS NOT FOR USE IN HUMAN SUBJECTS.
The MATERIAL will be used for teaching or non-profit research purposes only.
The MATERIAL will not be further distributed to others without the PROVIDER's written consent. The RECIPIENT
shall refer any request for the MATERIAL to the PROVIDER. To the extent supplies are available, the PROVIDER or
the PROVIDER SCIENTIST agree to make the MATERIAL available, under a separate Simple Letter Agreement, to
other scientists for teaching or not-for-profit research purposes only.
The RECIPIENT agrees to acknowledge the source of the MATERIAL in any publications reporting use of it.
Any MATERIAL delivered pursuant to this Material Transfer Agreement is understood to be experimental in nature and
may have hazardous properties. The PROVIDER MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS AND EXTENDS NO
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. THERE ARE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR THAT THE USE OF
THE BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT, TRADEMARK, OR OTHER
PROPRIETARY RIGHTS. Unless prohibited by law, RECIPIENT assumes all liability for claims or damages against it
by third parties which may arise from the use, storage or disposal of the MATERIAL except that, to the extent permitted
by law, the Provider shall be liable to the RECIPIENT when the damage is caused by the gross negligence or willful
misconduct of the PROVIDER.
The RECIPIENT agrees to use the MATERIAL in compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations.
The MATERIAL is provided at no cost, or with an optional transmittal fee solely to reimburse the PROVIDER for its
preparation and distribution costs. If a fee is requested, the amount will be indicated here:

The PROVIDER SCIENTIST, RECIPIENT and RECIPIENT SCIENTIST must sign both copies of this letter and return one
signed copy to the PROVIDER. The PROVIDER will then send the MATERIAL. This UNMODIFIED Simple Letter
Agreement for transfer of materials to NON-PROFIT institutions does not require signature by an official of Tufts University.
PROVIDER INFORMATION:
Name of Provider Scientist:
Title of Provider Scientist:
Provider Organization: Tufts University
Address:
_______________________________________
Signature of Provider Scientist

____________________
Date

RECIPIENT INFORMATION and AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:

Recipient Scientist:
Recipient Organization:
Address:
Name of Authorized Official:
Title of Authorized Official:
_______________________________________
Signature of Authorized Official

____________________
Date

Certification of Recipient Scientist: I have read and understood the conditions outlined in this Agreement and I agree to
abide by them in the receipt and use of the MATERIAL.
_______________________________________
Recipient Scientist

____________________
Date