I am interested talking to in anyone who has sucessfully negotiated an
agreement with the United Soybean Board.  Our one and only experience to
date took several months.  The United Soybean Board used an intermediate
firm - Smith, Bucklin and Associates, LLC to contract with us based upon
some agreement that they have with the Soybean Board.

The agreement contained the standard things that universities generally
don't like:

1) prior approval of all publications including presentations at
conferences/national meetings
2) very detailed documentation of all expenditures
3) no overhead, no PI salary, and no equipment
4) no budget reallocations or deviations without prior written approval
5) liability for all claims etc arising in whole or in part by acts or
omissions of the university
6) Smith Bucklin will only pay us if the Soybean Board pays them first and
if the Soybean Board doesn't pay then we are out on our own
7) Agreement governed and construed in accordance with the laws of a state
other than the one in which we are incorporated
8) non-exclusive, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice or use or
sublicense the discoveries ..... They get all rights to revenues or
benefits arising from licenses that we enter into with third parties with
50% of the income coming back to them

It goes on from there.

The basis for my question to this group is a phone call I received from a
department head who stated that we are being unreasonable and that other
universities would surely agree to work with the Soybean Board in a more
reasonable and timely fashion.  He suggested that I poll other institutions
to get a better understanding of how to do my job.  So that is what I am
doing.  I would like to know of successes with the Soybean Board and of
institutions who would agree to the language provided above.  Thanks for
any enlightenment you might provide.

----------------------------------------------------------
Martha M. Taylor,   Director               (334) 844-4438
Contracts and Grants Administration         FAX (334) 844-5953
310 Samford Hall
Auburn University,  AL  36849-5131
xxxxxx@mail.auburn.edu