Cayuse Agreements supports more than 85 agreement types, organized into major categories that reflect the full range of contracts managed by university technology transfer offices (TTOs) and sponsored programs offices. Understanding which category your agreement falls into helps you select the correct record type, ensures the right fields and forms are presented, and keeps your institution's reporting accurate.
Why Agreement Type Matters
The type you select in Cayuse is not just a label. It controls:
- Which fields appear on the agreement record (for example, royalty terms appear on license agreements but not CDAs)
- Which workflow routing rules apply (some types require compliance review; others go directly to legal)
- How the agreement is reported in dashboards, exports, and portfolio summaries
- Whether the record can be linked to a Sponsored Projects award, an invention disclosure, or a compliance record (such as an IRB or IACUC protocol)
Selecting an incorrect type can cause agreements to be routed improperly, omit required fields, and produce inaccurate reports. If you are unsure which type applies, consult your Agreements Administrator before creating the record.
Major Agreement Categories
Confidential Disclosure Agreements (CDAs / NDAs)
Protect confidential information exchanged between your institution and an external party — or internally between departments. Variants include one-way inbound, one-way outbound, mutual, and simple formats.
Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs)
Govern the transfer of physical research materials such as cell lines, reagents, animal models, or chemical compounds. Subtypes address whether materials are coming in or going out, whether the counterparty is academic or industry, and whether fees are involved.
Data Use Agreements (DUAs)
Control how data — particularly sensitive, proprietary, or regulated data — is shared, used, and protected. Includes HIPAA-specific variants for agreements covering protected health information.
Sponsored Research Agreements (SRAs)
Formal contracts under which an external sponsor funds research at your institution. Unlike grants, SRAs typically involve defined deliverables and negotiate intellectual property ownership. Subtypes include standard, clinical, educational, core lab, and SRA with license.
License Agreements
Transfer the right to use your institution's intellectual property — patents, software, biological materials, or copyrights — to an external party. Variants address exclusivity, field of use, territory, and type of IP. In-license variants cover situations where your institution is the licensee.
Option Agreements
Give a company the right, but not the obligation, to negotiate a future license to specific IP. Often used when IP is early-stage and a company wants time to evaluate it before committing to a full license.
Other Agreement Types
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Amendment | Modify the terms of an existing agreement |
| Assignment | Transfer ownership of an agreement or IP right to another party |
| Joint Development Agreement | Structure collaborative R&D between two or more parties where each contributes IP or resources |
| Collaboration Agreement | Define the terms of a research collaboration, typically without a direct funding exchange |
| Clinical Trial Agreement | Govern the conduct of a clinical study, typically with an industry sponsor |
| Master Agreement | Set overarching terms that govern a series of subsequent transactions or statements of work |
| Statement of Work | Define specific tasks, deliverables, and timelines under a master agreement |
| Grant | Record an award of funds from a foundation or government agency with fewer contractual obligations than an SRA |
How to Navigate Agreement Types in Cayuse
When you create a new agreement record, Cayuse prompts you to select a type from the list your institution has enabled. Not all 85+ types may be visible — your administrator configures which types are active based on your office's needs.
If you do not see the type you need, do not substitute a similar type. Contact your Agreements Administrator to request that the correct type be enabled.